Do The Right Thing
by Vinsmouse
Summary: What lengths will a man Jesse helped send to prison go to for revenge? Angst, Violence, Not Slash, Out Of Character
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own the Dukes of Hazzard, not making any money, just cheap thrills

Warnings: Angst, Violence, Out Of Character

Rating: FRT

Italics and/or indicates thoughts

Summary: What lengths will a man Jesse helped send to prison go to for revenge?

Do The Right Thing

Chapter 1

The sounds of laughter and splashing echoed in the trees surrounding the old swimming hole. Bo and Luke Duke had been working all morning and half the afternoon in the summer heat. Finally, though, they had finished making the fence repairs. Deciding that after working so hard, they deserved a treat the two boys had headed for their favorite swimming hole.

When they had stripped their clothes and dove into the water, it had felt so good against their hot skin that they swore they would never get out. Now though, after an hour of splashing around in the cool water, Luke was getting thirsty. "Hey Bo, why don't you go get us each a beer out of the General?"

"Me? I don't want a beer Luke, guess you'll have to get your own," Bo replied with a playful smirk.

"Sure you don't," Luke muttered under his breath as he headed for shore. No sooner had his feet hit the bank when he heard Bo calling to him. _Oh sure Bo, you don't want a beer, at least not if you have to get it. _Turning back towards the water, Luke felt a sting in his upper back. As he reached towards the painful spot, the edges of his vision began to blur and darken. The last thing he was aware of as he fell towards the ground was the sound of his cousin screaming his name.

"LUKE!" Bo screamed his cousin's name as he suddenly collapsed to the ground. Swimming as quickly as he could towards the shore, Bo couldn't stop the thoughts that were racing through his mind. _Oh God please don't let him be dead. Snake? Did somebody shoot him? Scorpion? What happened? _Bo tried to calm the panic he could feel as he considered what could've made Luke collapse. Getting out of the water, Bo hurried towards his cousin, praying that he would be alright. As he moved closer, he saw something sticking out of Luke's back.

"Hold it right there boy," an older man snarled, stepping from the trees and pointing a revolver at Luke's unconscious body.

Bo froze in his tracks, wanting desperately to tackle the man, he didn't dare to though with a gun trained on his cousin. The man was only ten feet from where Luke lay in the dirt, and Bo knew at that distance he wasn't likely to miss. Swallowing hard, Bo tried to get a better look at the man, but he was still standing in the shadows of the trees. All Bo could make out was a bearded face and a gnarled hand that pointed a deadly weapon at Luke. "Look mister, um I don't know who ya think we are, but ya got the wrong guys."

"No, I've got exactly who I want...Bo Duke," the man told him, surprising Bo.

"Well if you know who I am, then ya know we ain't none of us Dukes got any money."

"Ain't after your money boy."

"Did I do something to make you mad? Look mister if I did, why don't you just leave Luke out of it, okay?"

"Aw, isn't that sweet. You're worried about your kin, old Jesse raised you right didn't he? Taught you all about right and wrong? Told you to be proud of being a Duke too, didn't he?" The older man asked, his voice growing louder and rougher with each question.

"You dang right he did," Bo snapped at the other man, feeling as though his uncle had just been insulted, though he didn't know how.

"Don't take that tone with me boy," the old man growled, firing a shot into the dirt near Luke's head.

"No!" Bo yelled, terrified that his temper might get Luke killed.

"Think you owe me an apology boy, for being disrespectful."

Swallowing his pride, Bo apologized. "I'm sorry sir, I didn't mean to be disrespectful."

"Well now, that's right nice. Now I'll tell ya Bo, ain't you I'm mad at. No sir, it's your uncle that did me wrong, him and your daddy. It's time for them to pay though, don't nobody cross Delbert Penny and get away with it."

"If you're mad at Uncle Jesse and my dad, what do ya want with me?" Bo asked, even though he had a suspicion.

"Don't play dumb with me Bo. I've been watching y'all for months now and I know you're smarter than you want folks to believe. I was hoping to do this when you was alone, but hell boy you don't ever go anywhere alone, and I got tired of waiting. Now, what I want with you is your help getting my revenge. Oh I know you ain't gonna help me voluntarily, that's okay you don't have to want to. You just have to do what I say, or you'll be minus a cousin, understand me?" Delbert asked, motioning at Luke with his revolver.

"Yes sir, I understand," Bo reluctantly answered, knowing he had no choice in the matter.

"Alright then, you're gonna be coming with me, Luke can stay here. Alive if you cooperate, dead if you don't."

"Okay, okay, I'll come with you, just don't hurt him," Bo told him, moving towards his clothes as he spoke.

"Where ya think you're going boy?"

"Just gonna put my clothes on...sir."

"Nah, you ain't gonna need clothes anyway," Delbert told him as an idea came to him. "You just get down on your knees, right there's fine. Good boy, now you lean forward until your head touches the ground and put your hands behind you." Watching Bo, Delbert waited until the boy was in the position he wanted him in. Knowing that it would be extremely difficult for Bo to attack him from that position, Delbert walked over to him and pulled a pair of handcuffs from his back pocket. After slapping the cuffs on Bo's wrists, he shoved the gun into the waistband of his jeans and pulled the younger man to his feet. Pulling a piece of black cloth from his pocket, Delbert shook it out, revealing a black hood.

When Delbert pulled him to his feet, Bo bit back the cry of pain from the strain on his shoulders. Turning towards the man who had shot Luke with what he now saw was a tranquilizer dart, Bo got a quick glimpse of his captor. Gray hair, beard and cold green eyes were all he saw before his head was covered by the black hood and he couldn't see anything. Stumbling several times as Delbert pulled him along, Bo tried to keep his feet under him, nearly falling when they came to a sudden stop. Hearing a small click and the sound of creaking hinges, Bo realized Delbert was opening a car trunk. Feeling himself being turned around, Bo fell backwards when the other man suddenly shoved him in the chest. Before he had a chance to fight back, Delbert lifted Bo's legs into the trunk and slammed the lid shut.

Walking back over to where Luke lay on the ground, Delbert began to walk over the top of all the tracks he saw. With any luck, they wouldn't be able to tell Bo had ever gotten out of the water and would waste prescious time dragging the lake. Time that would allow Delbert to get to his hideout and prepare for his second guest. Finally satisfied, Delbert went back to his car. Chuckling with glee as he thought of the pain he was about to cause Jesse, he drove away. His only regret was that he wouldn't be here to see Jesse Duke's face when he realized Bo might be dead.

Moaning softly, Luke gradually woke up. "What hit me?" He wondered as he rubbed at the back of his neck. Remembering a sting, Luke reached towards his back, stopping when his fingers came into contact with a hard object. Feeling with his fingers, Luke realized it was some type of arrow. Pulling it out, he brought it around and saw that it was a tranqulizer dart. Looking around, Luke tried to rid himself of the fuzzy feeling in his head so he could figure out what he was missing. "Bo!" Luke cried out as he spotted the pile of clothes, but no sign of his cousin. Stumbling towards the pile of clothes, Luke grabbed his jeans and pulled them on, noticing that Bo's clothes were still here. Grabbing the cb mic, he called for help, "Breaker, breaker, Lost Sheep calling Shepherd. You got your ears on Shepherd, come back."

"You got the Shepherd. What ya need Luke?"

"Uncle Jesse, I need ya to come up here to the swimming hole...oh God," Luke whispered as a horrible thought crossed his mind. "Uncle Jesse, bring help and hurry please," he told him, throwing down the mic and stumbling towards the water.

"Luke, Luke! What's wrong?" Jesse called, worried by the fear he'd heard in Luke's voice. Yelling for Daisy, Jesse headed outside to the truck, pulling out as soon as Daisy climbed in the cab. Calling Cooter on the cb as he drove, Jesse told the mechanic to meet them and to be ready for trouble.

Moving towards the water, Luke prayed that Bo hadn't been hit with a dart too. _God please don't let Bo have been hit while he was in the water. Please, let him be okay. _Luke prayed, terrified at the thought that Bo might be at the bottom of the lake. "Bo! Bo!" Luke desperately called, hoping that Bo was lying unconscious and just hidden from sight. He wanted nothing more than to dive into the water and begin searching, but he knew that in the condition he was in, he'd only get himself killed. All he could do was keep searching the shore area and pray while he waited for Jesse and the others. Several minutes later, Luke turned away from the water at the sound of a motor. Sighing in relief, he moved as quickly as he could towards Jesse's pick-up. Luke took a steadying breath, preparing himself to tell Jesse and Daisy his suspicions.

"Luke," Jesse called as he stepped out of the truck and headed towards his nephew, breaking into a run when Luke stumbled to his knees. "What's wrong boy?" Jesse asked, coming up to the younger man and laying his hand on Luke's back.

"Uncle Jesse...I can't find Bo. I think he may be in there," Luke reluctantly told his uncle, pointing towards the water.

Daisy gasped, turning pale at Luke's words as she looked out at the water in fear for her youngest cousin.

"Luke, how long's he been in there?" Jesse asked his nephew.

"Too long," Luke answered quietly, looking up at his uncle, his blue eyes shimmering with tears.

"What happened?"

"I ain't sure Uncle Jesse. I got out to get us some beers and I felt a sting. Next thing I know, I'm waking up with a tranquilizer dart in my back and Bo nowhere to be seen. Uncle Jesse...his clothes are still here. What if he got hit with a dart too? If he was still in the water..." Luke trailed off, not able to go on.

"He wouldn't have had a chance," Jesse finished the sentence for him, swallowing hard at the thought. "Well maybe he's somewhere around..."

"Uncle Jesse I looked, I ain't been able to find him. I called for him too, and he ain't answering. Whoever shot me, came down by where I was at, he walked around some too. There's so many tracks from him, and tracks from when me and Bo first got here that I can't tell if Bo ever got out of the water."

"Daisy you stay here with Luke, and call Rosco. Don't argue with me boy, you look like you're barely awake. Me and Cooter will look around some more, see if we can find any sign of Bo," Jesse told them. "Cooter, you head over that way," he told the younger man, pointing to the left. "I'll look over to this side, holler if you find anything."

"Yes sir, Uncle Jesse," Cooter replied without his usual good humor. Moving off, he began to search for his friend, praying that he would find him sleeping off whatever was in the dart. "Please God, don't let him have drowned. Please don't take him from us," he prayed quietly as he searched.

By the time Rosco arrived twenty minutes later, Jesse was forced to admit that there was no sign of Bo having ever left the water. Praying to God that he was wrong, Jesse walked back over to his other youngins, "Rosco, um we need ya to have the lake dragged. We think...Bo may have drowned," Jesse spoke the words, barely getting them past the lump in his throat.

"No, oh no," Daisy cried out. She had refused to believe that her cousin might be gone, and to hear Uncle Jesse speak the words felt like a knife through her heart.

"Are you sure Jesse?" Rosco asked, thinking that even though he had chased the boys all the time, he'd never wanted to see one of them hurt.

"No we're not sure Rosco. Somebody shot Luke with a tranqulizer dart and when he woke up, there was no sign of Bo. Now we've looked all over here, and the boy's clothes are still here. We're afraid that the same person may have gotten Bo too, only while he was still in the water." Jesse turned away from Rosco as he spoke, barely holding himself together for his other kids. "Rosco please, if he's in there, find my boy," Jesse begged the sheriff, the tears finally beginning to fall from his eyes.

"I'll get some divers up here and get started right away. Jesse, if Bo's in there, I'll find him for ya, I promise," Rosco told him, laying a supportive hand on the older man's shoulder. Moving away from the grieving man, Rosco went to his patrol car and radioed for help. Standing next to the car, he looked towards the Duke family. Watching them as they comforted each other in their grief, Rosco prayed that somewhere, somehow, Bo Duke was still alive.

TBC

Well there's the first chapter y'all. The muse needs food, please review.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own the Dukes of Hazzard, not making any money, just cheap thrills.

Warnings: Angst, Violence, Out of Character(OOC), Disturbing imagery

A/N: I am not in any way involved with the medical profession. I know a small amount about the side-effects of the drug mentioned in this chapter. However, I do not know if it could ever be used in this way.

Italics and/or indicates thoughts

indicates the voice in the ear, though I won't be typing everything the voice says. You'll understand when you get to it.

Rating: FRT

Do The Right Thing

Chapter 2

Delbert Penny pulled his car up to the abandoned warehouse he'd found in Hazzard county. Stopping the car in front of the large double doors, Delbert got out and opened the door. Getting back into his car, he drove it into the old building. Going back to the doors, he pulled them shut with a clang, hiding his car from prying eyes. Walking back to the car, he opened the trunk and roughly jerked the young man inside out, dropping him to the floor.

"Who are you? What do you want with me?" Bo demanded after he had gotten his breath back.

Delbert grinned sadistically at the groan coming from the younger man after he kicked him in the ribs. "First lesson boy, I'm the one in charge, not you," Delbert snarled, puncuating his statement with another kick. Leaning over, he grabbed Bo's arm and pulled him to his feet. Dragging him forward, Delbert marched Bo into another, smaller room. Bringing the younger man to a stop, Delbert shoved him from behind, causing him to fall to the floor. Crying out in pain when his knees hit the unforgiving concrete, Bo wasn't given a chance to recover before the other man pushed him again, so that he was laying on the floor. The next thing Bo was aware of, was the feeling of a rope being wrapped around his ankles. Kicking out, he tried to fight the older man, but his captor was too fast and soon had his legs secured.

Reaching down, Delbert pulled the black hood from his captive's face, allowing him to see his prison for the first time. "What do ya think boy? Hope you like it, you're gonna spend the rest of your short life here," Delbert told him with a smile.

Bo wasn't sure what scared him more, the words or the look of coldness in the other man's eyes. "My family's gonna find me, you won't get away with this."

"Your family? Hell boy, your family thinks you're dead. They ain't even looking for you, they think you drowned out there in that swimming hole."

"They'll figure out I'm not dead and then they'll come looking," Bo insisted, praying it would be soon.

"But will it be in time to save you? That's the question you got to ask yourself," Delbert explained, enjoying the fear he saw in Bo's eyes.

"Why are ya doing this?"

"Told you that already, your daddy and uncle crossed me. They broke the code boy, bet your uncle never told you that did he?"

"You're lying, they'd never do that," Bo argued, not wanting to believe the two men he respected most would break the moonshiner's code.

"Don't you ever say that to me again," Delbert yelled at him, grabbing him by the hair and slamming his head against the floor. "I ain't lying boy, your daddy and uncle turned me into the revenuers. Even worse they helped them revenuers send me to prison on trumped up charges. I spent the last twenty years sitting in a cell, and now it's time for those that done it to pay. Since your daddy's dead, you'll just have to take his place. Like the Good Book says, the sins of the father shall be visited upon the son." Standing back up, Delbert went to the door and left the room, leaving Bo alone with his thoughts.

Stepping into the room next door, Delbert sat down at a small table on which his supper waited. Picking up a fork and beginning to eat, he watched Bo through the two-way mirror he'd installed in the old building. _One good thing about prison Delbert, old son, it'll teach ya patience like nothing else can. Sure is a lucky thing that Jesse ain't making moonshine anymore, it's done made him careless. I can remember a time when he would've known the minute somebody started watching him and here I've been watching them all for months. _Delbert sat thinking about the last few months, while he watched Bo struggle uselessly to free himself. "Struggle all ya want boy, you ain't gonna get free of them cuffs, not until I want ya to."

Bo sighed with relief when Delbert left the room. For several minutes, he simply lay on the floor trying to get his bearings and waiting for his head to stop spinning. After resting for a short time, Bo began to struggle with the handcuffs, hoping to find a way to free himself from them. As he fought with the cuffs, the words Delbert had spoken continued to run through his mind. _It can't be true, Uncle Jesse wouldn't do that and neither would my dad. He just wants me to be mad at them, wants me to blame them for what's happening to me. Well you can try all you want Delbert Penny, it ain't gonna work. There ain't nothing you can do or say that would make me blame them for what you're doing. _Bo wasn't sure how much time had passed, but it didn't seem very long when the door opened.

"Miss me? No, why I'm hurt Bo, truly hurt, and after I've provided you with such a nice room. Oh you don't think so?" Delbert asked, looking around the barren room that contained only a long table and a single chair, in the center. A bucket in one corner served as a make-shift bathroom, a hose connected to a spigot in another corner provided a shower. "Why it's at least three times the size of the cell I had to live in for twenty years. I even made sure you have a shower and toilet," Delbert told him, pointing to the proper corners as he spoke. Pulling Bo to his feet, Delbert forced him over to the only chair and sat him down. "You know it's a shame really that I have to hurt you, such a good looking boy," he whispered, running one hand down Bo's chest.

Bo jerked away from the other man's touch with such force that the chair toppled to the floor. Landing in a heap, Bo desperately tried to crawl away when Delbert came towards him. He only made it a few inches, when Delbert grabbed his arm and pulled him back to his feet, this time forcing him to lay down on the table. Bo shuddered in revulsion as the other man ran rough hands up and down his body, "Please don't do this," he begged.

"You don't want this Bo? Are you sure about that?" Delbert asked him, surprising Bo to momentary silence.

"I'm sure, please don't do this to me," Bo begged again, ashamed to hear himself begging in a small, scared voice.

"Alright, well guess I'll have to go see your cousin Daisy then. Do you suppose she's a virgin?" Delbert asked, a sadistic grin spreading across his face at Bo's look of horror. He left the room, laughing at the sound of Bo's pleas for his cousin.

"What? No, don't you hurt her. Please don't hurt her, I'll...I'll do whatever you want, just don't hurt Daisy. No! Please come back, please don't do it..." Bo screamed out, continuing to scream until his voice grew hoarse.

From the next room, Delbert watched, listening to the younger man's screams through the intercom. He sat calmly looking on as Bo wore himself out, screaming and crying over his cousin's safety. Finally after several hours, Delbert picked up a small fork and dragged it down one side of his face. Looking into a small mirror, he was satisfied that they looked like scratch marks from fingernails. Pulling his shirt partly from his pants, he ran his fingers through his hair and beard, making them look as though he'd been in a fight.

"Well Bo, I have to thank you. That cousin of yours is a real tiger, she sure knows how to show a man a good time," Delbert said with a smirk.

"No," Bo cried out, his voice barely a whisper.

"Oh yes, and I have you to thank. If you hadn't turned me down, I never would've gone to see her," Delbert reminded the younger man. "I just had to say thank you before I turn in for the night," the older man said as he wistfully stroked the scratches on his face. Smiling at the look of horror on Bo's face and the guilt in his eyes, Delbert lightly smacked the younger man's face before leaving him alone once again.

By the next afternoon, Bo was no longer responding to Delbert's taunts but only lay staring listlessly at the walls. Knowing that the boy was ripe for the next stage of his plan, Delbert left the warehouse. Driving towards the Duke farm, Delbert began to hum tunelessly in anticipation. Parking his car in a hidden spot, he made his way down towards the small farmhouse. Carefully staying hidden, Delbert watched as the Duke family returned to their home. He had been listening to the cb and knew that they had figured out the boy wasn't in the water. As he watched, the two younger Dukes went into the house while the old man walked tiredly towards the barn. Seeing his opportunity, Delbert made his way into the barn and quietly walked up behind Jesse. "Hello Jesse, it's been a long time," he greeted the other man, pressing a knife to his throat to keep him silent.

"Who are you?"

"Aw Jesse, ya mean you don't remember me. It's your old friend Delbert Penny, I see you remember me now," he commented when Jesse paled. "I ain't got time for no questions right now Jesse. If you want your nephew to live, you'll come with me."

"What have you got to do with Bo's disappearance?"

"Not now Jesse, you coming or do I just kill the boy?"

"I'm coming," Jesse quietly answered, making no effort to resist as he was led away from the farmyard. Letting Delbert lead the way, Jesse followed him to where the other man had hidden his car, and climbed into the pasenger side.

When they pulled up in front of the warehouse a short time later, Delbert ordered Jesse to open the doors. Driving the car inside again, Delbert got out and walked back to where Jesse stood near the door. Shutting the doors, he took Jesse into the room next to the one that held Bo. Delbert stood by the door, savoring the look of anger and grief on Jesse's face when he saw his nephew through the window.

Stepping into the room, Jesse moved towards the window that Delbert motioned towards. Looking through the window, Jesse was horrified at the sight of his nephew lying on the floor naked and cuffed. The lost look on his face and the bruises on his body angering him, making him forget Delbert's threats. "What did you do to him?" Jesse demanded angrily.

"That? Just a few bruises, well and he didn't like some of the things I told him. It ain't nothing compared to what you're gonna do to him."

"WHAT? Did you go insane when you were in prison? I ain't gonna hurt that boy, there's nothing you could do that would make me." Jesse yelled at the other man, shocked that he would suggest such a thing.

"Insane? No, but I did have a lot of time to think about what you and Jeremy did to me. I've spent a lot of years thinking about what I was going to do to you two. Unfortunately for your nephew his dad died and he'll have to take his place. So Jesse, would you like to hear the plan?"

"Look Delbert, I know you're mad at me and Jeremy for turning you in, but Bo ain't done nothing to you. "

"Why should I care about that? You and Jeremy didn't care about breaking the code, turning in a fellow moonshiner..."

"A moonshiner that was poisoning people and when we told you what was happening, you kept on doing it. That's why we turned you in and you know it, now you let my nephew go," Jesse demanded of the other man.

"I don't think so Jesse, ah-ah, don't try anything stupid," Delbert warned, pulling a gun and pointing it at Jesse. "Have a seat Jesse...now!" Walking over to the chair, Delbert forced Jesse to place his hands behind him, allowing Delbert to cuff him. Laying down his gun, Delbert walked to a small box he had placed on the table. Opening the box he removed a small item that looked like an earplug. Stepping over to the other man, Delbert pushed the earplug into Jesse's left ear and pulled his hair forward to hide it. "Bet you're wondering about that, ain't ya? That might look like an earplug, but it's not really. It's a small reciever, have to make sure you can hear the voice in your head when you go crazy."

"What in tarnation are you talking about Delbert?"

"I'm talking about you finally snapping, all those years of resentment towards your nephew coming to the surface. All those years in prison to plan and I've been out for months, so I had time to gather everything I'd need. Like this," Delbert said, returning to the box and removing a syringe and a small bottle of medicine. "This is ketamine, it's used as an animal tranquilizer, makes it real easy to get. Did you know most vets just keep this stuff in a simple glass cabinet? Anyway, when it's given to people it's got some nasty side effects. It can cause violent hallucinations and nightmares, it's also been known to cause psychotic breaks in some people. The part I really like though, is it leave ya open to suggestions, like the ones from that voice in your head," Delbert explained.

"You're crazy Delbert Penny," Jesse yelled at the other man, struggling against the cuffs as the other man approached. Jesse fought as much as he could, but with his hands behind him he didn't have a chance and a few seconds later he felt the sting of the needle. A short time later, Jesse felt as though he were floating, a feeling that didn't last long as the hallunications began. The voice in his ear, at first, sounded like an unintelligible buzz. Jesse tried his best to ignore the buzz, but it wouldn't let him.

"Bo is in the next room, he's the cause of all your problems, isn't he?"

"No, no, I love Bo...he's a good boy," Jesse protested, fighting against the voice.

"No he's not, if it wasn't for him you'd still be in the moonshine business. You sure wouldn't be in debt to JD Hogg," the voice argued.

"JD," Jesse snarled, getting angry as he thought of all the times Hogg had threatened to take their farm.

"That's right, JD, now that you're in debt to him he'll never give up until he owns your farm. All because of Bo," the voice buzzed in his ear.

Jesse's anger began to grow and he didn't even notice when his hands were suddenly freed of the cuffs. Standing up, Jesse followed the instructions of the voice and moved into the room that held his nephew.

When the door opened, Bo didn't react, expecting it to be Delbert back to torment him. A smile of relief broke out across his face when he saw his uncle standing over him. "Uncle Jesse, thank God you're here. I knew you'd find me, did you find keys to these cuffs?"

"Yeah I did"

"Yeah I did," Jesse answered, just as the voice instructed.

"Good, well ain't you gonna unlock the cuffs?" Bo asked, confused when Jesse didn't seem in any hurry to free him.

"Why would you do that when you finally have him where you want him?"

"Why would I do that Bo? I finally got you where I want you," Jesse snarled at his nephew.

"What? Uncle Jesse what do you mean?"

"I been wanting rid of you for years and I finally got the chance. Nobody knows I found you yet, I can get you out of our lives and everybody will figure it was your kidnapper that done it."

"Uncle Jesse, what did he do to you? Why are you saying that?" Bo asked, confused and frightened by his uncle's words.

"What makes you think somebody did something to me? Don't you think I can make my own choices?" Jesse asked, delivering a backhand blow to Bo's face, knocking his head against the floor. "You been a thorn in this family's collective side from day one. Heck ya killed your own mama," Jesse cruelly informed him.

"No, that's a lie, my folks died in a fire when I was almost three."

"I ain't talking about Becky, she weren't your mama. Your mama died birthing you," Jesse repeated the lie he heard whispered in his ear.

"No, you're lying. My mother's name was Becky and my father was Jeremy Duke, they died in a fire when lightening struck the house," Bo cried out in denial.

"Don't you be calling me a liar boy," Jessse snapped, pulling his nephew to his feet and punching him in the stomach several times. Dropping the younger man to the floor, Jesse looked down at him in disgust, before repeating the next lie. "Wasn't lightening that started that fire though, was you."

"No, no please Uncle Jesse. Why are you doing this?" Bo asked, feeling as though a part of him was dying.

"Doing what Bo? I'm just telling you the truth, bout time somebody did. You was fascinated by fire, I tried to tell Jeremy that any child who played with fire like that had to be the devil's spawn. He wouldn't listen though, he kept insisting that it was normal for little boys to play with matches and fire. Too bad he didn't listen to me, if he had they'd all still be alive."

"All?"

"Oh that's right, your Aunt Martha, God rest her never wanted you to know any of this. You started that fire, playing with matches, again. A fire that killed your dad, Becky and your baby sister, if it hadn't been for you they'd all be alive. Your dad made it out with you, but then he went back for Becky and the baby, that's when the roof collapsed."

"No! It's a lie, I didn't kill them, it wasn't my fault," Bo denied his uncle's words. As he listened to what his uncle said, Bo felt the tears falling down his face as his heart was ripped out by the horrible betrayal.

"Now that's the second time you've called me a liar Bo. I just can't let that pass, gonna have to give you a lesson in respect." Jesse spoke calmly, sounding as though he were relating a piece of necessary information. Spotting the rope around Bo's ankles, Jesse squatted down and pulling out his pocketknife, cut the rope from his legs. "This'll do, seeing as how I ain't got a strap," Jesse said, standing back up and striking Bo's back with the rope. Ignoring his nephew's cries, Jesse continued to obey the voice in his head, beating the younger man until he was unconscious. Once again, obeying the voice, Jesse dropped the rope onto the table and returned to the other room.

TBC

A/N: Yes I know Jesse would never act like that. The genesis for this story came about when I was watching the episode My Son, Bo Hogg. Watching the episode I was suddenly struck by the thought that in all the years of the show, several people were able to act out of character. Bo in My Son Bo Hogg when he had amnesia. Luke when he was hypnotized into believing the General was a piece of junk and again in the seventh season when he was exposed to an experimental drug. Daisy when she was hypnotized into thinking she was an heiress. Jesse though was alwasy Jesse, he never got to act out of character, that started me wondering, what would it take to make Jesse act in an unJesselike way? Scary how my mind works isn't it?

Well y'all know the routine by now, the muse wants to eat. Please feed the muse with reviews.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own the Dukes of Hazzard, not making any money, just cheap thrills.

Warnings: Violence, Angst, OOC(Out of Character), Language, Tissue Warning

Rating: FRT

Italics and/or indicates thoughts

indicates the voice in Jesse's ear

Do The Right Thing

Chapter 3

Daisy watched her older cousin walk to the room he shared with Bo, his shoulders slumped as though he carried the weight of the world on them. Swallowing back the tears that threatened to fall, she moved to the back door just in time to see Uncle Jesse disappearing into the barn. She had been so happy when they had finished dragging the lake with no sign of Bo, until she realized it meant he had been kidnapped. As worried as they all were for Bo, they knew there was nothing they could do until the next day. Two days; by the time they could really begin the search the kidnapper would have a two day head-start. _Lord, please keep him safe until we can find him. While you're at it God, could you watch out for Luke too? I don't know what he'll do if we don't find Bo before he...I can't say it Lord, not even to you. Just please look out for all of us, especially Bo and Luke. Amen. _Not knowing what else to do, Daisy began to prepare supper, even though none of them really felt like eating. She knew that they would need to though, if they were going to keep up their strength for the search.

Forty-five minutes later, Daisy sat the potatoes on the table. Calling Luke to supper, Daisy walked outside to the barn. Stepping into the barn, she was surprised when she didn't see Uncle Jesse anywhere. Searching the entire barn, she walked out the back of the barn and walked back around to the front. Hurrying back into the house, she saw Luke at the sink, washing up for supper. "Luke, did Uncle Jesse come in here?"

"I don't think so, did you check his room?"

"No, but I will," Daisy replied. Leaving the kitchen she walked to her uncle's room, not receiving an answer to her knock, she carefully opened the door. Seeing that he wasn't in his room, she headed for the last possiblity. The moment she saw the door to the bathroom was open, she knew that he wasn't in there and that's when she got scared. Running back to the kitchen, she quickly told Luke what she'd found, or rather hadn't.

Hurrying out to the barn, the two cousins began to look around for any sign of where their uncle had gone. "Damn," Luke swore from where he squatted near the back of the barn.

"What is it Luke?" Daisy asked, not at all sure she wanted to hear the answer.

"Footprints," Luke answered, glancing over his shoulder at Daisy. "See these here?" Luke asked, pointing out the prints he meant. "Those are Uncle Jesse's, these ones here though they belong to somebody else. Daisy, I'm gonna follow these prints, I want you to go in the house and call Rosco, okay?"

"No Luke, I'm coming with you," Daisy protested, afraid to let her cousin out of her sight.

"Daisy listen to me, those other prints...I've seen them before. They're the same prints that I saw yesterday at the swimming hole, now please do what I ask," Luke nearly begged her. Sighing with relief when Daisy nodded her agreement and turned towards the house, he began to follow the tracks. He knew she was worried too, but Luke didn't know what he might find, which was why he didn't want Daisy to be with him. It didn't take him long to find where the tracks stopped, seeing the tire tracks, it was pretty easy to figure out what had happened from there. The only thing Luke wasn't sure about was why didn't Jesse put up a fight? Why did he willingly go along with this guy? Thinking about it, the only logical thing he could come up with was that the man had threatened to hurt Bo. Luke knew that a threat to one of them would be a sure-fire way to get Jesse to do what you wanted, and he bet the kidnapper knew the same thing.

Arriving back in the farmyard, Luke was nearly knocked to the ground when Daisy threw herself into his arms. "Oh Luke, I was so scared you would disappear too. You didn't find Uncle Jesse, did you?" Daisy asked, tears glistening in her eyes.

"No, but I did find where he walked to. The kidnapper had a car waiting up there," Luke explained, pointing towards the tree-lined hill. "I didn't see any sign of a struggle, the only thing I can figure is he told Uncle Jesse that he'd hurt Bo if Jesse didn't come with him. Did you get ahold of Rosco?"

"Yeah, he said he'd be right out. Luke, who do you think is doing this?"

"I wish I knew Daisy, I wish I knew," Luke replied. Seeing the fear in her eyes, he tried to reassure her. "I don't want you to lose hope though, we'll find them, I promise ya that. I ain't gonna give up on Bo or Uncle Jesse, I don't care how long it takes, I'll find them."

"I hope so Luke," Daisy softly murmurred. "Oh good, there's Rosco," Daisy giggled nervously at her words, "Never thought I'd be glad to see him."

After they had explained the situation to Rosco, Luke led the sheriff up the hill to where the kidnapper's car had been parked. At first Rosco had been skeptical, arguing that maybe Jesse had just went somewhere with a friend. However when Luke showed him the footprints and pointed out the fact that they were a perfect match for the ones at the lake, he stopped arguing. Unfortunately, even though Luke had been able to convince Rosco that Jesse too had been kidnapped, they couldn't search until the next day.

At the warehouse, Delbert watched in satisfaction as Jesse beat his nephew into unconsciousness. Once the younger man passed out, Delbert ordered Jesse back into the room he was watching from. Knowing that soon the ketamine would cause the other man to fall asleep, Delbert led him to the chair and cuffed his hands behind him. As Jesse slept, Delbert continued to put the receiver to use, guaranteeing that Jesse's dreams would be filled with nightmare images.

_Jesse stood in front of his brother Jeremy's house, watching in horrified fascination as it burned to the ground. Beside him, his young nephew Bo stood laughing at the sounds of the screams coming from inside the structure. "Pitty Unca Jesse," Bo laughed and pointed at the bright flames shooting into the night sky. Backing away from the laughing toddler, Jesse suddenly found himself in his own kitchen. _

_He had just returned from taking eleven year-old Bo to school, only to find his wife Martha dying on the kitchen floor. "Jesse, where were you?" Martha moaned in obvious pain, before closing her eyes and taking her final breath. _

_"I'm sorry Martha, I'm so sorry," Jesse sobbed into his wife's hair as he held her body in his arms. _

_"I'm sorry Jesse, if you could've gotten her to the hospital, she might've had a chance," Dr. Appleby sadly explained._

Jesse woke from the nightmare with a strangled cry. In spite of his aching head, he tried to remember what his dream had been about, but he couldn't recall. Slowly glancing around the room, Jesse looked towards the window, not noticing Delbert standing in the far corner. "Bo!" Jesse cried out, horrified at the sight of his nephew lying in the next room.

"What's the matter Jesse? Aren't you proud of your handiwork?" Delbert asked with a sneer.

"What did you do to him?" Jesse growled, turning towards the other man. The sound of the gun's hammer being pulled back brought Jesse's attention to Delbert's hand, and he felt his blood run cold.

"Me? I didn't do anything to him Jesse, you did," Delbert replied, savoring the look of horror on Jesse's face.

"No, I don't know what kind of game you're playing Delbert Penny, but it ain't gonna work. There ain't no way you're gonna convince me that I did that."

"That's okay, I don't really care if you believe me or not," Delbert grinned. Taking a syringe from the box and drawing another dose of ketamine into it, Delbert walked over to Jesse and gave him the drug. Waiting several minutes, Delbert released the cuffs holding Jesse to the chair when the drug began to take effect. Ordering the Duke patriarch to the other room, Delbert smiled in anticipation.

"Bo killed his family with fire, he should know what that feels like."

Walking over to where his nephew lay, Jesse squatted down and brought him awake with several harsh slaps to his face. "Come on boy, wake up, you've had enough rest."

"Uncle Jesse? Where am I? What happened?" Bo asked, not yet fully awake.

"Don't matter none where you are, all that matters is it's time you paid for all the things you've done."

"No, please Uncle Jesse why are you doing this?" Bo asked, the memories of what had happened returning in full force.

"Told you why, you deserve to be punished. Truth is we would've all been better off if you'd never been born. Your folks would still be alive then, and poor Becky, she'd be alive too. Did you know that they burned alive in that fire Bo? Neighbors said they could hear them screaming, and you standing outside just watching," Jesse told him.

"No, it's not true, please stop," Bo begged his uncle. He tried to tell himself that Delbert must've done something to make Uncle Jesse act like this, but it was getting harder to believe. Since his uncle had first stepped into the room, he hadn't seen or heard Delbert Penny. Of course he'd been out for a while, he supposed Penny could've been in the room then. The things his uncle was saying, and the beating he'd already given him, the fact his uncle was free, all made it hard to believe that Jesse was being forced to do this.

"I been thinking about it Bo, and you know I think it's only fair that you get a taste of what your family went through." Jesse stood back up and walked over to the table, picking up the torch that lay in the middle, he picked up the lighter lying next to the torch. Walking back over to Bo, Jesse lit the torch with the lighter, "Do you still think the fire is pretty boy?"

"No, please," Bo begged doing his best to scoot away from his uncle and the flaming torch he held. With his hands cuffed behind him, and the pain from the earlier beating, he just couldn't move fast enough.

"I've always wondered how bad it must've hurt, being burned alive like that. Why don't you tell me what it feels like?" Jesse asked. Slowly lowering the burning torch he touched the flames to Bo's leg, smiling at the sound of the boy's screams. Removing the torch from his nephew's leg, he moved up and brought the flame against his back. Never leaving it in place for more than a few seconds, Jesse burned Bo in several places. None of the burns were very bad, but they were enough to make Bo scream in pain and would continue to hurt for some time to come.

Growing tired of the game, Delbert suggested that Jesse put the torch out and give his nephew some relief from his pain.

Walking over to the hose, Jesse turned on the spigot and sprayed water on the torch, dousing the flames. Looking over at where his nephew lay curled up on the floor, Jesse walked towards him, the hose still in his hand. "I wouldn't want you thinking I have no sympathy left in me boy," Jesse muttered, before turning the hose on Bo and spraying him with the ice-cold water.

The shock of the water hitting his burning skin was enough to wring another cry from Bo. "Stop, please stop Uncle Jesse," he begged uselessly. Finally the water stopped and Bo heaved a shuddering sigh of relief. "Uncle Jesse, even if what you say is true, I was only a little kid. I didn't know any better than to play with fire, it's not right to punish me for that." Bo pointed out, fighting to keep his voice calm and hoping he could make his uncle see reason.

"Alright Bo, you've got a point there," Jesse agreed, bringing a look of hope to Bo's eyes. "So let's talk about other things you've done. Like killing your Aunt Martha for instance," Jesse snarled, kicking Bo in the lower back as he spoke.

"Ahh," Bo cried out in pain. "I didn't kill Aunt Martha, she died of a stroke. Dr. Appleby said there wasn't anything that could've been done, it wasn't my fault."

"Doc lied to you, oh she had a stroke that's true enough. But if I'd been there, instead of taking you to school, I could've gotten her to the hospital and she'd still be alive. I wasn't there though was I Bo? Nope, I was taking you to school, all because you wouldn't get your lazy butt out of bed and missed the bus."

"No, Doc said she died instantly, even if you'd been there it wouldn't have mattered," Bo denied his uncle's words.

"There you go, calling me a liar again, guess you need another lesson," Jesse snapped. Using his feet and fists, he once again beat the younger man, though this time he stopped while Bo was still awake. Ignoring his nephew's cries of pain and betrayal, Jesse left the room and returned to Delbert as instructed.

For the next four days, Luke and Daisy, with help from the local law and their friend Cooter, searched the county for Bo and Jesse with no luck.

While they searched, Bo was continuing to suffer abuse at the hands of his uncle. Over the course of those four days, Bo was beaten many times by the man who he'd always looked to as a father. Jesse justified the beatings to his nephew, claiming many different crimes as the reason for the abuse. During one of the beatings, Jesse reminded Bo that he was the one who was driving when they were caught running shine.

"You know Bo, it's just too bad that Luke was with you that day. If it'd been just you, I would've let them send you to prison and good riddance. I couldn't let you take Luke down with you though, so I did the only thing I could to save him. Just like that, because of your stupidity, the Duke family was out of the whiskey business, after two hundred years. Now thanks to you, I'm in debt to JD Hogg, and I'm always having to worry about losing the farm. I said it before, we would've all been better off if you'd never been born. You ain't nothing but a worthless waste of flesh," Jesse snarled, slamming a fist into Bo's stomach, hammering home his words.

After four days, Delbert was finally ready to make his next move. As much fun as it had been watching Jesse torment and abuse Jeremy's son, it was time to end it. When Jesse returned to the room this time, Delbert led him to a cot in the corner and waited for him to fall asleep. Removing the receiver from Jesse's ear, Delbert collected all of his equipment from the building and loaded it into his car. Driving out of the warehouse, he moved his car up onto the ridge above the building. Calling Luke Duke on the cb, he told him that he had seen some suspicious activity at the old warehouse. Giving him directions to the building, Delbert dropped the mic and waited. He didn't have to wait long, within fifteen minutes of receiving his message, Luke was pulling up in front of the old warehouse. Bringing the General to a halt, Luke waited for Daisy to get out of her jeep before carefully making his way inside.

Moving quietly into the building, they saw no sign of the kidnapper or their family. Carefully opening the first door they came to, they quickly saw that the room was empty and quietly moved on. Reaching the third door, they opened it as quietly as possible. "Uncle Jesse!" Luke and Daisy both called out, rushing into the room and to their uncle's side.

"Luke is he...?"

"He's breathing, doesn't look like he's hurt any. Uncle Jesse," Luke called trying to rouse the older man. "Daisy go call Cooter and the others, tell them we need an ambulance, Uncle Jesse ain't waking up. I'm gonna look around for..."

"BO!" Daisy screamed from behind him, startling Luke into silence.

Jumping to his feet, he hurried to where Daisy stood looking through a window. "Oh God," Luke cried out, the sight of his cousin lying on the floor broken and bleeding scaring him as nothing ever had. Forcing himself to a calmness he didn't feel, Luke grabbed a blanket from the cot where Jesse slept. "Go on Daisy, call for help, hurry," Luke told Daisy. Heading towards the other room, Luke stopped when he saw a set of handcuff keys lying on the small table. Grabbing them up, he ran to the other room and flung open the door. Hurrying to Bo, Luke fell to his knees beside his youngest cousin. Seeing the cuffs that Bo wore on bloody wrists, Luke released them, freeing his cousin. Gently covering the younger man with the blanket, Luke tried to wake his cousin, "Bo, wake up Bo."

Hearing a voice calling his name, Bo tried to ignore it, sure it was his uncle back to torment him. Realizing that the voice wasn't Jesse's, Bo came awake with a startled cry and quickly backed away from his cousin. "No, no please don't hurt me. Please, I'm sorry, sorry, please don't hurt me, don't hate me," Bo cried out, sure Luke hated him as much as Jesse.

"Bo, it's alright cousin, I'm not gonna hurt you," Luke tried to reassure his cousin, surprised when Bo continued to beg. "Bo, please it's Luke, you're safe now, I promise," Luke spoke softly, as he reached towards his cousin.

With a cry of pure fear, Bo curled up into a tight ball, "No, please don't."

Coming back into the room, Daisy was surprised to see Bo curled up and shaking. Walking over to her cousins, she laid a hand on Luke's back startling him slightly. "Luke, ambulance is on the way, so are the others," Daisy told him. When Luke looked up at her, Daisy gasped slightly at the tears in his eyes. "Luke what is it?"

"He won't let me near him Daisy, he just keeps begging me not to hurt him, and not to hate him. Why would he think I hate him?" Luke asked Daisy, the pain in his voice easy to hear.

"I don't know Luke, maybe he doesn't know it's you," Daisy suggested. "Why don't you go check on Uncle Jesse? Let me see if I can get through to Bo," Daisy offered, never expecting the response she was about to get from Bo.

Waiting for Luke to leave the room, Daisy knelt beside Bo. Reaching out to gently brush the hair from his face, she was shocked when he jerked away from her with a cry.

"No! Please don't hurt me," Bo cried out, looking at his cousin for the first time. Seeing Daisy beside him, Bo remembered that first day and Delbert's words about his cousin. "Oh God, I'm sorry Daisy, I didn't know he was going to do that. I'm so sorry, please don't hate me," Bo begged, recoiling in fear when she reached towards him. "No, don't hurt me, please don't hurt me."

"Bo, oh honey, I'm not going to hurt you. Don't you know I love you, I could never hurt you," Daisy gently reassured him, her heart breaking at his response.

Bo lay on the floor, shaking his head in denial, terrified that Jesse had brought her and Luke here to hurt him. When the door suddenly slammed open and several people ran into the room, Bo cried out in terror. Seeing someone moving towards him, he scooted away as best he could, shaking in fear as the room filled with people.

"Stop it! Look y'all, can't you see you're scaring him," Cooter yelled at the paramedics as they moved towards his friend. "Let me see if I can calm him down," he offered, moving slowly towards his friend.

When he was still several feet away from Bo, Cooter dropped to his hands and knees and slowly crawled to his friend's side. "Bo? It's okay now Bo, you're safe," Cooter quietly spoke to the younger man. When Bo looked up at him, Cooter smiled at the look of recongition that came into Bo's eyes. "You know who I am don't ya buddyro?"

"Cooter? What are ya doing here?" Bo asked, confused by Cooter's presence.

"I'm here to help get you some help, see these fellas here?" Cooter asked, motioning towards the paramedics. When Bo nodded, he continued, "They're paramedics Bo, they need to see how badly hurt you are. Then they're gonna take you to the hospital, okay? Will ya let them help you Bo?"

"Cooter, you don't hate me do you?" Bo asked in a small, scared voice.

"Hate you? Of course I don't hate ya Bo, you're one of my best friends. Nobody here hates you, we just want to help ya," Cooter replied, confused and hurt by Bo's question.

"No, they hate me, he hates me. Please don't let him hurt me, please Cooter," Bo begged, moving towards his friend.

"I won't Bo, I promise I won't let anybody hurt you," Cooter assured him, shifting slightly and gathering his friend into his arms. "Will ya let these fellas help ya now?"

"You'll be here?"

"Yeah."

"Okay," Bo agreed.

Daisy watched as Bo allowed Cooter to comfort him, hurt that he had turned to the mechanic instead of his family. Seeing him beginning to relax a bit though, she swallowed her hurt feelings, relieved that at least somebody had gotten through to him. Watching the paramedic treating her cousin, Daisy was unaware of Enos coming to stand beside her, until she felt his arm slip around her shoulders. Leaning into his comforting embrace, Daisy lost the battle and finally allowed her tears to freely fall. "Oh Enos, who could've done this? Why would anybody hurt him like that?"

"I don't know Daisy, but we'll find him, I promise ya that," Enos replied.

"Did you find any sign of him?" Daisy asked him.

"Not yet, but don't you worry about that. You just focus on your family, you let me and the sheriff take care of finding the man that done this."

Hearing a sound at the door, Daisy turned towards it, seeing her older cousin, she went to his side. "How's Uncle Jesse?"

"They just took him to the hospital, the paramedics said they think he'll be okay," Luke replied, putting an arm around her. Looking at the scene across the room, Luke swallowed hard, "How's Bo doing?"

"I don't know Luke, he wouldn't let me near him either. I can't understand it, he knew who I was, but he's afraid I'll hurt him. I can't help feeling hurt that he's letting Cooter help him, but mostly I'm just glad he's starting to feel safe."

"It'll be alright Daisy, I don't know why he thinks we'd hurt him, but I'm sure he's just confused, it'll get better. Come on, let's move a little closer, I want to hear what the paramedics are saying."

When Cooter looked up, Bo realized that somebody else was there. Looking to where Cooter had glanced, he saw his cousins moving towards him. Trying to back away, he struggled against the hands that held him in place. "No, please let me go, please don't let them hurt me," Bo begged, wrapping his hand into Cooter's shirt.

"Calm down Bo, they're not gonna hurt you. That's your family, don't you recognize them? Bo, look at me," Cooter firmly ordered, reaching down and forcing Bo to look at him. "It's Luke and Daisy over there Bo, they love you and they've been worried about ya. There ain't no way they'd ever hurt you," he assured the younger man.

"No they don't, they hate me, he said so. They all hate me, please don't hate me Cooter, I'll be good, I promise," Bo stuttered out, sounding like a frightened child.

"Who told you that Bo?"

"He did," was the only response Bo would give, as though they should know who he was talking about.

Backing away, hating the fear and pain he heard in his cousin's voice, Luke vowed to find the monster that had done this. "I'm gonna find the bastard that did this Daisy, I swear I'll find him and when I do..." Luke trailed off, letting the threat hang in the air. Moving away from the door, Luke watched as the paramedics took his youngest cousin to the waiting ambulance. Keeping one arm wrapped around Daisy, Luke couldn't have said at that moment who was supporting who, he was just glad Daisy was there beside him. Seeing Cooter headed towards him, he straigtened up, wondering what his friend had to tell him and why the paramedics were waiting.

"Luke, look buddy I'm sorry that Bo is being like this..."

"Don't apologize Cooter, I'm just glad that you were able to get through to him," Luke told him sincerely.

"Thanks buddyro. That's what I need to talk to you about, Bo don't want to ride in the ambulance alone, so I'm gonna go along. Could you holler at L.B. and B.B., ask them to come up and get my tow truck?"

"Sure Cooter, we'll do that. You just take care of Bo for us, and tell him...keep telling him that we love him, okay?"

"You got it buddyro," Cooter said with a sad smile. Clapping Luke on the shoulder, and smiling at Daisy, he turned and headed back to Bo's side.

Following from a distance, Luke and Daisy watched as the paramedics placed their younger cousin in the ambulance. Glad that Bo was able to trust somebody, Luke couldn't help the pain in his heart that it wasn't him. "Come on Daisy," Luke said, leading Daisy towards the General. "Why don't you leave the jeep here, we can come back and get it later, okay?"

"No, I can drive, besides, I don't ever want to come back here again," Daisy replied, refusing his offer.

Watching Daisy walking away, Luke couldn't really blame her, he didn't want to come back either. Looking around him, he was bombarded with images of his uncle and youngest cousin. Remembering the look of terror in Bo's eyes, and hearing the words he'd spoken, Luke silently swore again that he would make the monster who had hurt Bo pay. Finally climbing into the General, Luke pulled away from the scene of his cousin's nightmare and headed to the hospital.

TBC

Y'all know the routine, thank you for the wonderful reviews. But the muse needs more, please feed the muse and leave reviews.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own the Dukes of Hazzard, not making any money, just cheap thrills.

Warnings: Angst, OOC(Out of Character), Language

Rating: FRT

Italics and/or indicates thoughts

Do The Right Thing

Chapter 4

When Luke pulled into the parking lot at Tri-County, he saw Daisy sitting in her jeep, waiting for him. Parking the General a few spaces away, he climbed out and walked over to his cousin. "Daisy, you okay?"

Luke asked, when he saw her shoulders shaking.

Nodding her head, Daisy tried to swallow her tears, wanting to be strong for her family. When she felt Luke's hand on her back, she leaned into his arms all pretense of strength gone, as she allowed the tears to flow. "Oh Luke, I'm so scared," she sobbed out, burying herself in Luke's chest.

"I know sweetheart, but they'll be okay, you'll see," Luke assured his cousin. After several minutes, Luke could feel Daisy's breathing change as she slowly regained control. "You ready to go in now?"

"Yeah, I guess," Daisy answered. Taking a deep breath, she used Luke's handkercheif to dab at her eyes, and climbed out of the jeep.

Walking into the emergency room of Tri-County, it only took seconds to spot Cooter sitting in a chair near the front desk. "Cooter, any word?" Luke asked as they walked up to the mechanic.

"Not yet, but we ain't been here long," Cooter replied. Looking up at his friends, he felt the need to apologize again. "Luke, Daisy, I'm sorry about what happened earlier, I don't know why Bo..." Cooter stopped speaking, startled by a loud scream coming from the back; a scream they all recognized as belonging to Bo. Jumping to his feet, Cooter was right behind Luke as they ran back into the exam area. Following the sounds of Bo's screams and pleas, it didn't take long to find him.

Standing in the open area of the large room, it didn't take them long to see why Bo was screaming. They watched in stunned anger as an orderly attempted to place restraints on Bo's wrists and ankles.

"No! Please, don't tie me up, please, I'll be good," Bo begged the people who stood over him.

The sounds of his cousin begging and crying ignited the anger Luke had barely been holding onto. Rushing forward, Luke grabbed the orderly by his shoulder and pulled him away from his younger cousin. "Get the hell away from him, can't you see what you're doing to him?" Luke yelled, pushing the other man away from Bo and pinning him against the wall.

As soon as Luke pulled the orderly away from Bo, Cooter stepped forward, and despite the doctor's protests, began to remove the restraints. "Shh, it's okay Bo, calm down," Cooter leaned forward as he worked, speaking quietly into Bo's ear.

Bo laid in the bed, fighting against the men who were trying to tie him down. He heard them speaking to him, but he couldn't tell what they were saying; it was as though they were speaking another language. Bo wasn't sure how long he fought aganist the hands that held him before he heard a voice he recognized. "Cooter? You're here?" Bo questioned, reaching up to touch his friend's arm. Feeling the solid muscle beneath his hand, Bo realized that his friend was really here with him. Quickly moving away from the man on the other side of him, Bo grabbed at Cooter's shirt, getting as close to the other man as he could. "You won't let them hurt me, will you?" Bo asked, whispering fearfully to the older man.

"No Bo, I won't," Cooter replied, his heart breaking at the sight of his friend cowering away from the doctor like a whipped dog. "Bo, I need ya to do something for me...I need ya to calm down, can you do that?"

Nodding his head, Bo continued to clutch at Cooter's shirt, afraid to let go. Taking a few deep breaths, as deep as he could anyway, Bo tried to do as his friend asked.

"Doc, you want to explain to me why you were tying him down? Didn't you notice the way his wrists look?" Cooter demanded, fighting to keep the anger from his voice, so he wouldn't scare Bo, now that he was finally calmed down.

"Of course I did Mr.?"

"Davenport," Cooter supplied.

"Mr. Davenport, of course I saw his wrists and I didn't want to restrain him, but he left me with no choice. I need to treat his injuries and I can't do that when he's fighting me every step of the way," the doctor explained.

"Well why didn't you give him something to calm him down?"

"I can't do that until I've examined him and we know the extent of his injuries. Certain medications would be contraindicated with certain injuries. In addition to that we don't know what drugs he may have already been given." Glancing over at where the other man was struggling to hold the orderly against the wall, the doctor made a quick decision. "Jerry," he called to the orderly, "It's alright, you can go now I won't be needing your help after all. Um, sir if you'll let him go please," the elderly doctor called to the man who held Jerry pinned to the wall. When the young man released Jerry, the orderly immediately moved towards the doctor.

"You sure doc?" Jerry asked, not certain he should leave.

"Yes Jerry, I think I've found the solution to the problem," the doctor replied, looking at where Cooter held Bo, keeping him calm. "Oh and Jerry, tell security they won't be needed," he said as Jerry left the room, knowing that the nurse would have called them. Turning back towards his patient, the doctor addressed Cooter, "Mr. Davenport, normally I wouldn't ask this, but would you mind staying with your friend while I examine him?"

"Mind? Doc you'd have to call every security guard you got to get me out of here," Cooter firmly replied. Looking over at Luke apologetically, Cooter wished for both their sakes it was Luke that Bo had turned to. Relieved at the understanding in Luke's eyes, Cooter turned his attention back to Bo, not even aware when Luke reluctantly left the room.

"Bo?" Cooter called softly, bringing Bo's attention away from the nearby doctor.

"Yeah Cooter?"

"This here is Dr.?"

"Blackwell," the gray haired doctor supplied.

"Dr. Blackwell, he needs to check you out buddyro, see how badly hurt ya are. Will you let him do that?"

"You'll be here?" Bo softly asked.

"Right here the whole time," Cooter assured his friend, his voice just as soft.

Nodding his head, Bo allowed Cooter to lay him back against the pillow. Letting go of Cooter's shirt, Bo moved his hand to grab onto his friend's hand. Keeping a tight grip on Cooter's hand, Bo did his best to control his fears while the doctor examined him. _Got to be good, stay calm dummy, don't make Cooter mad too, _Bo instructed himself as the doctor moved gentle hands over his body.

Returning to the waiting room, Luke wasn't surprised when Daisy practically threw herself into his arms. "It's alright Daisy, Bo's okay," he hurried to assure her, holding her tight and running soothing hands down her back as he spoke.

"Are you sure Luke?" Daisy questioned, needing to make sure her cousin wasn't keeping anything from her. When she had heard Bo screaming earlier, she had moved towards the exam area with Luke. Stopping at the last minute she had backed away from the double doors, too afraid of what she'd see. She had spent the twenty minutes since then pacing the waiting room and anxiously listening for any sign of what was happening behind those doors.

"I'm sure Daisy, come on let's sit down and I'll tell ya what happened," Luke suggested, leading her to the chairs. Sitting beside her, he quickly explained what had caused Bo to scream like that and why Cooter had stayed in the back. With nothing else to do, Luke leaned back in his seat, keeping one arm around Daisy, he settled in to wait for news. Thirty minutes later, Luke looked up into the kind face of Dr. Appleby. Before he could stand up, the doctor sat down and began to explain what they'd found after examining Jesse.

"The first thing you need to know is, Jesse will be fine. He doesn't have any injuries, other than some bruised knuckles. I suppose he got those fighting against whoever kidnapped him and Bo," the doctor said, never considering any other possibility.

"Then why wouldn't he wake up?" Luke asked.

"That would be the ketamine," Dr. Appleby replied. "Somebody dosed him with ketamine, it's a tranquilizer, several times judging by the needle marks on his arm. Ketamine isn't normally used on humans without a buffering agent because of the side-effects. By itself it causes hallucinations and violent nightmares, as well as mental confusion leading to short-term memory problems." The doctor explained quickly, knowing that would be Luke's next question. "I've ran several tests and other than the ketamine in his system, he's fine. He'll probably wake up in a few hours, though you should know that when he does he may be confused for a while. Do you have any questions?"

"You said he might have problems with his short-term memory, does that mean he won't remember what happened to him and Bo?"

"I can't say for sure Luke, not until he wakes up. However, even if he doesn't remember, as the drug leaves his system and he gets some proper rest, his memory will probably return. Though it may not be all at once, in fact it's more likely to be in bits and pieces at first," the doctor explained.

"Other than that, he'll be okay though?" Daisy asked, needing the reassurance.

"Yes Daisy, he should be fine."

"What about Bo? Do you know anything about Bo's condition?" Luke asked.

"No I'm sorry Luke, if you'd like I can see what I can find out," the older man offered.

"Thanks doc, we'd appreciate that," Luke replied.

After waiting for another hour, the two Duke cousins jumped to their feet when they saw Bo's doctor and Dr. Appleby heading towards them.

Holding up a hand, forestalling any questions, Dr. Blackwell began to explain Bo's condition. "Hello, I'm Dr. Blackwell and you are?"

"I'm Luke Duke and this is my cousin Daisy, how's our cousin?" Luke answered, remaining polite, but not easily.

"Your cousin is a very lucky young man..."

"Lucky? You call that lucky?" Luke questioned angrily, no longer feeling any desire to be polite.

"I'm sorry, let me explain. I said he was lucky because he will make a full physical recovery. Bo has cuts and bruises covering most of his body, including some very deep bruising over his kidneys. Luckily no permanent damage was done, though he will be in pain for a while, and in addition I would expect him to be passing blood for at least a week. If that continues for longer than a week, I'll order some additional tests to be sure we haven't missed anything. In addition to the bruises, he is also sporting a large number of small cuts, only two of which even required any stitches. There are several burns, luckily the worst ones are only second degree and should heal fine with proper treatment, though they too will be painful. He also has a concussion, which was probably contributing to his earlier panic. His wrists were torn up from fighting against the cuffs, but again no serious damage was done. Finally he has four cracked ribs and three broken ones. Luckily no organs were punctured by the broken ribs, but he will need to be careful until they begin to set. You can see him as soon as he's settled into his room, though I've given him a mild pain killer and sedative, so he may not be aware you're there. Do you have any questions?"

"When will he be able to go home?" Luke asked.

"If all goes well, I plan to release him in a few days," Dr. Blackwell replied.

"You're sure he'll be okay?" Daisy asked.

"As sure as I can be. Is there anything else you need to know?" Looking from one cousin to the other and seeing they had no questions, the doctor excused himself.

"Luke, Daisy," Dr. Appleby began, bringing their attention back to him. "Would you like to see Jesse while you're waiting to see Bo?"

"You mean we can?" Daisy asked excitedly.

"Yes, he's in room 235. He'll probably sleep for a while, but you're welcome to sit with him. I'm going to see if we can get Bo put in a nearby room, I'll have the nurse let you know which room when he's settled." The doctor explained, walking away and leaving the two Duke cousins to lean against each other in relief.

Walking into room 235, Daisy got her first look at her uncle since finding him in the warehouse. Stepping quietly to the bed, she reached down and gently picked up his hand. "Uncle Jesse? Can ya hear me? It's Daisy, and Luke's here too, you're gonna be just fine Uncle Jesse," she spoke quietly, hoping her uncle could hear her. "The doctor says Bo's gonna be okay too," Daisy began, surprised when her uncle began to moan as though he were in pain. "Uncle Jesse?" Daisy looked over at her cousin on the other side of the bed, not sure what to do. "Luke, should I get the nurse, do ya think?"

"No, he's settling down now, I think maybe he's just having a nightmare. Doc said that ketamine could give him nightmares," Luke reminded her, watching as Jesse's breathing evened out and he relaxed against the pillow.

Ten minutes later, a nurse poked her head into the room and told them Bo was next door in room 237. Neither of them moved for several minutes, not sure if Bo would even want to see them. Finally Daisy looked up from studying the floor, only to find Luke equally entranced by the wall behind Jesse's bed. "Luke, what are we gonna do?"

"I don't know Daisy, I don't know," Luke answered.

Daisy couldn't help thinking that he sounded more like a lost little boy, than the strong, capable man she knew he was. "Maybe we should go see Bo, now that he's been given some medicine maybe he'll be calmer," she suggested.

"Okay," Luke quietly agreed, standing up and moving slowly towards the door. Within seconds, he stood outside Bo's door, afraid to go in, but knowing he had to. Carefully pushing open the door, Luke led the way inside the small room. Feeling slightly ashamed, Luke couldn't help the sense of relief when he saw that Bo was asleep, Cooter sitting in a chair beside him. "Cooter?" Luke whispered, getting the mechanic's attention.

Looking up, Cooter saw Luke and Daisy coming into the room, both looking nervous and unsure. Standing up, he moved closer, so they could talk without disturbing Bo. "Hey y'all, how's Uncle Jesse doing?"

"He's gonna be fine Cooter. Dr. Appleby said he's been drugged, that's why he wouldn't wake up. Other than that, his only injury is some bruised knuckles. I guess he probably tried to fight whoever hurt Bo," Luke told him, not having any other explanation.

"Bruises? Yeah, that's probably it," Cooter whispered his reply, looking back at Bo, a terrible suspicion beginning to form. "Did the doc talk to you about Bo?"

"Yeah, he told us Bo should recover, physically anyway. How long's he been asleep?" Luke asked, never taking his eyes off his battered cousin.

"Just a few minutes, once he calmed down, he let the doctor treat him," Cooter explained. "They gave him something for the pain a few minutes ago, he fell asleep right after that. Y'all want to set with him?"

Immediately backing towards the door, Luke shook his head slightly. "We better not, I don't want to get him upset if he wakes up."

"Luke, I know that upset ya back at the warehouse and I sure understand that, but I'm sure it'll be different now that he's calmed down."

"I hope so Cooter, but he's already suffered so much, I don't want to make it worse," Luke replied.

"Luke's right Cooter, we don't either one of us want to upset Bo, not after all he's been through," Daisy spoke up, agreeing with Luke.

"I don't like it, but guess I see your point. Y'all gonna be in Uncle Jesse's room?"

"Yeah, he's right next door in 235," Daisy answered.

"Tell ya what then, I'll stay here with Bo and when he wakes up I'll talk to him. I'll come and get ya after I talk to him, that be okay?"

"That should work, thanks Cooter," Luke replied, turning back to the door and leading Daisy into the hall.

Watching sadly as his friends left the room, Cooter quietly walked back to the bed and sat down. Picking up Bo's hand, Cooter began to think about what Luke had told him about Jesse. He remembered back to the warehouse and the way Bo had recoiled from his cousins, the absolute terror on his face a heart breaking thing to see. Cooter began to put the pieces of the puzzle together, hating the picture that was beginning to take shape.

As Bo began to move restlessly in his sleep, he began to mumble fearfully, "No, please...stop, don't hurt me. I'm sorry...didn't mean it, please don't."

"Shh, you're safe now Bo, shhh," Cooter soothed his friend. Brushing the hair away from Bo's face, Cooter couldn't keep a small smile from crossing his face when Bo nuzzled into the comforting touch. Continuing to soothe his friend, Cooter prayed that his suspicion was wrong, knowing if Jesse had done this, it would destroy the Duke family.

TBC

Thanks for all the great reviews, as you can see the muse appreciated them. Please feed the muse with more reviews.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I don't own the Dukes of Hazzard, not making any money, just cheap thrills.

Warnings: Angst, language

Rating: FRT

Italics and/or indicates thoughts

Do The Right Thing

Chapter 5

Luke and Daisy returned to Jesse's room. Each taking a seat on either side of Jesse's bed, they settled in for a silent, lonely vigil. Several hours passed, with neither cousin speaking a word, both lost in thought, worried for their uncle and cousin. A soft moan from the bed brought Daisy's attention to her uncle. Looking across the bed, she saw that Luke had dozed off. Speaking quietly, she tried to wake her uncle up, "Uncle Jesse wake up please. It's Daisy, and Luke's here too, please wake up," she repeated the words she'd spoken earlier. This time though, she was rewarded when Jesse slowly opened his eyes and gave her a small smile.

"Daisy?" Jesse croaked out through dry, cracked lips.

"Shh, don't try to talk yet Uncle Jesse, let me get you some water," Daisy offered reaching for the small pitcher next to the bed. Pouring a small cup, she carefully raised the head of the bed and helped her uncle to take a sip.

The feel of the cold water traveling down his dry throat, was like heaven for Jesse. As he sipped at the water, he glanced around the room, trying to figure out why he was here. Finally having gotten enough, he handed the cup back to Daisy and tried again. "Daisy, why am I in the hospital?"

"What do you remember?" Daisy asked, finding herself wishing that Luke was awake.

"I remember...Bo was missing! Did you find him?"

"Yeah we found him Uncle Jesse, he's right next door to you in fact," Daisy told him, instantly regretting it.

"He is? Well let me out of this bed, I want to see him," Jesse tried to climb out of the bed as he spoke.

"Uncle Jesse please stop," Daisy cried out, her voice rising and waking Luke.

"Stop? Why? What ain't you telling me?" Jesse demanded, struggling agains his niece's hold.

"Uncle Jesse stop!" Luke ordered in his best Marine Sargeant's voice. "Now if you'll lay down, we'll try to tell you what's going on, okay?"

Laying back against the pillow Jesse heaved a sigh and waited fearfully for what his nephew would say.

"Now first of all what do you remember?" Luke asked, not knowing Daisy had already asked.

"I remember Bo being missing, and...and I remember going to the barn. There was somebody in the barn with me I think, but I don't know who it was. Was it you Luke?"

"No Uncle Jesse, it wasn't me. Do you remember anything else?"

Jesse closed his eyes and tried to remember anything past going into the barn. No matter how hard he tried, nothing happened. He simply couldn't remember anything past that one thing, "No, nothing else. Luke Daisy said Bo's next door, how badly hurt is he?" Jesse asked, hoping that since Luke and Daisy were both here it meant Bo wasn't hurt bad at all.

"The doctor says he'll recover physically," Luke answered carefully.

"Well what does that mean?" Jesse demanded, his voice getting a little louder.

"Calm down Uncle Jesse and I'll explain. Whoever took Bo kidnapped you too, we don't know what all happened. What we do know is that we found the two of you in an old warehouse on Wilson Rd.. You were unconscious, and had a few bruised knuckles but otherwise ya wasn't hurt." Looking away for a second, Luke wasn't sure how to go on, but knew he'd have to tell his uncle the rest. "Bo wasn't so lucky, he was in another room. He was naked and his hands were cuffed behind him, he was unconscious when we found him. The monster who kidnapped y'all had beaten him, cut him, burned him and I don't know what else he may have done. I was able to get the cuffs off and covered him up before I tried to wake him. That's when we found out just how b..."

"Hold it right there," Jesse interrupted. "If I'm not really hurt and Bo is, why are you both in here?"

"He won't let us near him Uncle Jesse. I don't know what that bastard did to him, but the only one Bo's let near him so far is Cooter," Luke explained.

"That's why I stopped you Uncle Jesse, we don't know how he'll react to you," Daisy told him.

"What in tarnation is going on here?" Jesse yelled, scared and horrified by what Luke was telling him.

Cooter sat next to Bo's bed, his mind racing with unwanted thoughts. _It can't be, it just can't. You are really losing it Cooter Davenport. There is no way on God's green earth that Jesse Duke would ever hurt one of his kids. All the years they've lived with him, the worst he's ever given any of them is a switchin' and that was rare once the boys got past sixteen. I ain't never seen Jesse raise a hand to anybody with the kind of anger this would take, and he sure ain't ever been that angry at any of his kids. There's got to be another explanation. Shoot, Luke's probably right, he got them bruised knuckles from fighting whoever did this, not from hitting Bo. That don't explain though, why Jesse ain't been beat like this. Why kidnap Jesse if he wasn't gonna do anything except give him some kind of drug that gives him nightmares? It just doesn't make any sense, and then there's the way Bo acts around Luke and Daisy. I never thought I'd see the day that Bo would cringe away from his kin, begging them not to hurt him. Lord, please give me some answers here. _Cooter began to pray, stopping when he heard Bo moaning in pain. Poor kid, Cooter couldn't help thinking as he reached out to brush his hand through the younger man's hair. Because of the broken and cracked ribs, Bo couldn't lay on either side, but he also couldn't lay on his stomach. Yet, he also had several burns on his back, which was covered in welts too, making that position painful as well. The nurse had explained all of this to Cooter, when she was telling him why they were placing his friend on top of an air mattress, which was covered with a cooling blanket to soothe the burns. The broken ribs posed the most risk for Bo's health and so it was decided that he would have to sleep on his back. By placing him on an air mattress the doctor hoped to take some of the pressure off of the burns and welts, that and pain killers were all they could do to make him comfortable. "Bo?" Cooter called softly.

Opening his eyes, Bo slowly turned his head towards his friend's voice. "Cooter? How long've I been here?" Bo asked in a raspy voice.

"Just a few hours buddyro," Cooter replied. "Would you like a sip of water?" Cooter offered, pouring a cupful as he spoke.

"Thanks," Bo softly spoke after a few sips of the deliciously cold liquid.

"What in tarnation is going on here?" The sound of Jesse yelling from the next room startled Bo badly. Jumping from the sudden noise, Bo jostled the cup, spilling the water onto Cooter's shirt sleeve.

"Oh God, I'm sorry Cooter, it was an accident, I didn't mean to," Bo stuttered out, obviously afraid.

"Whoa, slow down Bo...shh now, I know it was an accident. Heck it ain't nothin' but a little water, I probably needed a bath anyway," Cooter joked, surprised when Bo began to cry. "Hey now, what's this about Bo? I was just joking, I know it wasn't much of a joke but it ain't nothin' to get upset about," Cooter soothed, moving to sit on the edge of the bed and drawing Bo into his arms.

"Sorry, guess now you really got a bath," Bo feebly joked when he saw how wet the front of Cooter's shirt was.

"Guess I did. You okay now?" Cooter gently asked.

"Yeah, I think so," Bo replied quietly.

"Bo, I hate to ask you this," Cooter stopped speaking, not sure how to ask the question that weighed so heavily on his mind.

Bo lay in the bed, waiting for and fearing what Cooter would say next. For several minutes neither man spoke, the only sound that of the clock ticking on the wall and the nurses walking past the door. Just as Cooter opened his mouth to speak the door opened and Bo nearly jumped out of his skin. Seeing that it was only the nurse making her rounds, Bo began to calm down, relieved that it wasn't the one person he feared seeing most.

Normally Laura would have asked any visitors to leave the room while she changed a patient's bandages. However she had been told about this patient and what had happened in the emergency department. As a result, the doctor had left instructions that unless the patient requested it, Mr. Davenport was to be allowed to remain in the room at all times. It didn't take long for Laura to check Bo's vital signs and change his various bandages. Smiling at him sympathetically, she pulled the covers over him again and quietly left the room. Moving next door, she looked down at the chart on the end of the bed and realized that this man had the same last name as her previous patient. "Mr. Duke, how are you feeling?"

"A little tired, but I'm fine miss," Jesse answered.

"Mr. Duke, I was wondering there's a young man next door named Bo Duke, are you related?"

"He's my nephew, how's he doing?" Jesse anxiously asked.

"As well as can be expected. He was awake a minute ago when I was in there," she answered.

"Do you think maybe I could go see him?"

"I'll have to check with the doctor, but I'm sure he'll say it's okay."

"Thank you, I surely do appreciate it," Jesse sincerely replied.

After the nurse left, Luke turned to Jesse, "Uncle Jesse, I ain't so sure that's a good idea," he began.

"Well why in blue blazes not?" Jesse asked, his voice once again growing loud.

"I don't know if he'll want to see ya Uncle Jesse. I told you earlier he wouldn't let me or Daisy near him, I ain't sure how he'll react to you and I don't want to upset him," Luke explained.

"Have you seen him since he got to the hospital?"

"Not really, just for a few minutes in the emergency room, but I'm not sure he knew I was there," Luke answered.

"Well now, that nurse said he's awake didn't she?" Jesse gruffly asked.

"Yeah."

"So why don't you go see if he's okay with you now and if you ain't back in ten minutes, me and Daisy'll come on over there," Jesse suggested.

"I don't know about that Uncle Jesse, even if Bo's okay with us now that nurse said she had to check with the doctor." Daisy reminded him.

"I don't need a doctor's permission to go next door and visit my nephew. If you two are worried about me falling, well then Daisy you can just go get a wheelchair and take me over in that."

"Alright Uncle Jesse, alright," Luke agreed, recognizing a losing battle when he saw one. Standing up, he left the room and stepped up to the door into room 237.

Slowly pushing the door open, Luke walked inside and softly spoke his cousin's name, "Bo? It alright if I come in?"

Looking at Cooter, Bo wasn't sure what to say. He hated to ask Cooter to stay, but he really didn't want to be alone with his cousin.

"It's up to you Bo, and if you want me to go or stay, I will," Cooter offered, seeing his indecision.

"I guess it'd be okay," Bo finally told Luke, grateful for Cooter's presence by his side.

Carefully moving towards the bed, Luke couldn't have described the relief he felt when Bo didn't immediately cringe from him. "I'm so sorry this happened to you Bo, I wish we'd found you sooner. I promise you though we'll find the monster who hurt you, and I'll make sure he pays for it," Luke spoke firmly.

"Luke, do you know who did this to me?" Bo asked. He suspected that Luke didn't know the whole story, or else this was another way for Jesse to punish him. Shuddering at that thought, Bo was just about to ask Luke to leave, when the door opened again.

Next door, Jesse had insisted on climbing into the wheelchair the moment Daisy returned with it. Seeing that five minutes had already passed without Luke returning, Jesse grew impatient. "Come on Daisy, let's go see your cousin."

"Uncle Jesse it's only been five minutes," Daisy pointed out.

"I know that, and if Luke ain't back yet it must be that Bo is over whatever was upsetting him earlier. Now come on, I want to see my youngin'," Jesse gruffly demanded, beginning to wheel himself towards the door.

Realizing that Jesse would go, with or without her, Daisy did the only thing she could. Grabbing the handles at the back of the chair, she began to push Jesse towards Bo's room.

When the door opened, Luke turned towards it. From where he sat, he could see the person coming through the door more clearly than Bo could. Smiling as he realized that it was Daisy and Uncle Jesse, he hoped Bo would welcome them too. Moving aside slightly, so that Bo could see Jesse as he came through the door, Luke was completely unprepared for Bo's reaction.

The moment Bo saw his uncle being wheeled through the door, he began to shake. As the older man moved closer to his bed, Bo began to shift towards Cooter. When Jesse was within a foot of the bed, Bo suddenly began to sob, begging Cooter to protect him. "Please don't let him hurt me, please Cooter."

"Hurt you? Bo, don't ya know me son? It's your Uncle Jesse, I wouldn't hurt you," Jesse tried to assure him.

"Yes you would, you hate me," Bo sobbed. The only thing keeping him from falling to the floor as he tried to escape his uncle was Cooter standing beside him.

"Hate you? That ain't true Bo, I love ya boy, don't you know that?" Jesse asked, deeply hurt by Bo's words.

"Yes you do. You said so," Bo told them, shocking the room to silence. "Why are you doing this Uncle Jesse? Why are ya playing this game? Can't ya just leave me be? Ain't I been punished enough?"

"Bo, are you saying that Uncle Jesse did this to you?" Luke asked, sure that he must have misunderstood.

It was all Bo could do to slowly nod his head in answer, turning towards Cooter and burying his face in the mechanic's chest.

"I can't believe this..." Luke began, shocked that it was his uncle who had hurt Bo.

"You think I'm lying? Guess it's true then, ain't it Uncle Jesse? You told me that Luke and Daisy hate me too, guess you didn't lie about that. Fine y'all can just have each other then, get out!" Bo ordered, his voice rising slightly.

"Bo, please let me explain, " Luke began, wanting to tell Bo he'd only meant that he was shocked, not that he didn't believe him. Bo wouldn't listen though, and cut him off.

"No! I don't want to hear it, you don't believe me, think I'd lie about this,well then just get out cousin," Bo snarled at the cousin he'd once looked up to as a hero. "Get out!" he screamed, breaking down into deep sobs as he watched his family walk out the door and out of his life.

Once outside the room, Daisy wheeled Jesse back into his own room. Parking the wheelchair, Daisy put the brake on and stepped around to the front of the chair. The sound of skin against skin echoed through the room as Daisy put all of her fear and anger into that single slap. "Uncle Jesse how could you?"

"I didn't Daisy, I swear I never touched your cousin, I don't know why he thinks I did," Jesse insisted. He couldn't believe that Bo would accuse him of such awful things, or that his other kids would believe it.

"You saying that Bo's lying?" Daisy asked, her voice raising in pitch as she allowed the anger to be heard.

"Yes, I just don't know why. Maybe whoever kidnapped him brainwashed him into thinking it was me, I don't know, but I know I'd never hurt that boy. I love him, love all of you kids and I couldn't ever hurt any of ya, not like that."

Luke looked at his uncle and he remembered the doctor's words, making him doubt his uncle's word for the first time in his life. He stood there, silently watching and listening as Daisy confronted Jesse, not sure what to do or who to believe.

"I'd like to believe that Uncle Jesse, I really would, but then I look at Bo and I can't," Daisy tearfully admitted. Turning away from her uncle, Daisy moved towards the door, stopping for a second when she heard his voice.

"Daisy, are you coming back?" Jesse softly asked, his heart breaking at the look of betrayal in her eyes.

"I don't know Uncle Jesse, I just don't know," Daisy replied, moving once again towards the door and stepping outside.

"What about you boy? You ain't said nothing since we left Bo's room," Jesse commented, looking at Luke where he stood silently against the wall.

"I don't know either Uncle Jesse. The man I thought I knew would never hurt one of us like that, but Bo wouldn't lie about it either. I have an idea about it, but I need to do some checking first. Come on, I'll help ya back into the bed, then I've got to leave for a while."

"You'll be back though?" Jesse plaintively asked, grabbing onto Luke's forearm as he spoke.

"Yeah, even if it's only to tell you good-bye, depending on what I find out," Luke answered truthfully. Helping the older man into the bed, Luke pulled the covers over his uncle and slowly left the room. Stepping into the hall, he looked towards Bo's door, he could hear the murmur of voices behind the door as Cooter did his best to comfort Bo. Doing the job that should've fallen to Luke, but thanks to what Bo believed their uncle had done, Luke didn't know if his cousin would ever accept his help again. Reluctantly walking away from his cousin's room, Luke headed out in search of Dr. Appleby. He just hoped that the doctor's answers to his questions would help him to figure out what had happened between Bo and their uncle.

TBC

Thanks for all the great reviews, don't forget to feed the muse, please review.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I don't own the Dukes of Hazzard, not making any money, just cheap thrills.

Warning: Angst, OOC(Out of Character)

Rating: FRT

Italics and/or indicates thoughts

Do The Right Thing

Chapter 6

Jesse Duke laid in his hospital bed, confused and hurt by the earlier events. _How could Bo believe that I would hurt him? What happened to my boy to make him think I'm the one who hurt him? Lord what am I gonna do? How can I convince my kids that I didn't hurt Bo, that I would never hurt him? _Jesse squeezed his eyes shut against the memory of Bo's words, cursing the man who had hurt his boy and made all of his kids doubt him. Lying in the bed, Jesse fought the urge to go back to Bo's room. Part of him wanted to walk into that room, and force Bo to see that he wasn't the one who had hurt him. He didn't though, knowing that if he tried to make his nephew see things his way, it would only make matters worse. So he laid in the bed, praying for guidance and strength as they all tried to make it through this terrible time.

Jesse had never been so frustrated in his life, even the time that Bo and Luke had been caught running shine, didn't compare. As he lay there, the residual drugs combined with the stressful situation left Jesse exhausted physically and emotionally. Gradually the Duke patriarch drifted into a restless sleep. _"It's your fault boy! " Bo lay on the concrete floor, Jesse standing over him. In his hand he held a rope, it was covered in Bo's blood from the beating he'd received. "You killed them, you're worthless, we'd all be better off if you'd never been born! " Jesse screamed at the cowering form of his nephew, his face turning red with his rage. Suddenly the scene shifted and Jesse was in the kitchen of his home, his wife Martha sitting at the table, looking at him with such disappointment it made his heart ache. "How could you hurt him Jesse?" Shaking his head in denial, he opened his mouth to explain but no sound came out. "You're not the man I married Jesse Duke, I could never love a man who would hurt his own like that." Martha sighed sadly, standing up and walking outside. Hurrying after her, Jesse looked wildly around the farmyard. Seeing Martha on the hill in the distance, Jesse ran towards her, only to have her slowly fade from his sight. _Jerking awake, Jesse lay in the bed, his pulse racing and sweat rolling down his face.

"Uncle Jesse what's wrong?" Luke asked, stepping into the room and seeing his uncle looking like he'd just seen a ghost.

"I ain't sure, I had a nightmare, but I can't remember what it was about now," Jesse replied. "Glad to see you back here, but are ya staying?"

"I'm staying, but we do need to talk Uncle Jesse," Luke told him, his voice more serious than Jesse had ever heard.

"You're right about that, we got to figure out what happened to Bo that would make him think I hurt him."

"Uncle Jesse when I left earlier, I went to talk to Doc Appleby and you ain't gonna like what I found out. There ain't no easy way to say this; Uncle Jesse you might have hurt Bo," Luke reluctantly told his uncle.

"I can't believe you think I could do that! What's happening to this family?" Jesse asked, sounding bewildered and hurt.

"Uncle Jesse calm down and I'll explain. Doc says you were given a drug called Ketamine, now it's got some pretty nasty side-effects..."

"What kind of side-effects?" Jesse asked, not at all sure he wanted to know.

"Hallucinations, violent nightmares, short-term memory problems, Uncle Jesse, Bo may not be the one that was brainwashed," Luke explained.

"He had to have been Luke, there's no way I could've done that to Bo, no matter what drug I was given," Jesse argued.

"I know you don't want to believe it Jesse, I don't either, but somebody hurt him. Whoever it was may have done something that's making him think it was you. The thing is he says it was you that did this to him, and he's afraid of me and Daisy too. With what the doctor said and the way Bo's acting, I think we're going to have to accept that it might've been you," Luke quietly spoke, hating what he was saying.

"Alright, supposing you're right, what are we going to do? I can't even begin to imagine what that boy is feeling right now and if I did it, how can I ever make it right?"

"I don't know Uncle Jesse. I think the first thing we have to do is find out who kidnapped the two of you in the first place. Now you said you remember somebody in the barn with you, do ya have any idea who it was?"

"No Luke, I only remember being in the barn and that somebody else was there," Jesse replied. "How are we gonna figure this out, if I can't remember anything?"

"Don't worry about that right now Uncle Jesse, the doc said that as the drug gets out of your system, you'll start remembering more. Guess for now, we'll just have to wait and hope you can remember what happened. It'd help if I could talk to Bo...you know maybe I can in a way," Luke murmurred, moving towards the door. Stepping out into the hall, he looked around for the nurse he'd seen earlier. Finally spotting her down the hall as she came out of another patient's room, he moved towards her.

"Excuse me miss," Luke began, getting her attention.

"Yes sir?"

"I was wondering if you could do me a favor? I need to speak to my friend Cooter, he's visiting in room 237. I was hoping you would go tell him that his friend Luke needs to talk to him, please?" Luke asked, flashing the young nurse his most charming smile.

"I suppose I could do that," Laura agreed, walking down the hall and into room 237.

"Excuse me, um, Cooter is it?"

"Yes?" Cooter replied quietly, not wanting to wake Bo who had finally drifted to sleep.

"There's a man out here who says he needs to talk to you about something," Laura replied.

"What man?"

"He says he's a friend of your's, his name is Luke."

For several seconds Cooter didn't replied, staring at Bo and wondering if it was a trick to get Bo alone. Thinking about it, he realized that if he stayed right outside the door, nobody would be able to get in anyway. Nodding his head, he stood up and walked into the hallway, "Luke, the nurse said you wanted to talk to me?"

"Yeah Cooter, first of all, how's Bo doing?" Luke asked, anxious for news about his cousin.

"Upset, scared...you want to get to the point Luke? I don't want him to wake up alone," Cooter explained, his voice cold and angry. Cooter hated this, thinking that Jesse might've hurt his friend and that Luke maybe didn't believe his cousin hurt a lot. This whole situation was making him angry, and he wasn't sure who to be angry with. The only one he was sure didn't deserve his anger, was Bo and so he was going to do all he could to protect Bo, even if it was from his own family.

"Damn this is a mess. I know Bo's afraid of us all right now Cooter, but he's wrong about me and Daisy. Neither one of us hates him or would ever hurt him, I'd appreciate it if you could tell him that."

"I noticed you didn't say anything about Jesse," Cooter observed. "That mean he is the one that hurt Bo?"

"Maybe, now hold it Cooter before you get upset, hear me out."

"I'm listening," Cooter replied, his voice tight with controlled anger.

"Doc says Jesse was given a drug that has a lot of nasty side-effects. It's possible that while he was under the influence of that drug he hurt Bo, but he doesn't remember it. That's why I said maybe, because right now, we just don't know. Which brings me to why I wanted to talk to you. Cooter we need to know who kidnapped Bo in the first place, since he won't talk to me, could you ask him?" Luke requested hopefully.

"I guess I could, but I ain't asking him today. It's your turn to listen Luke, that boy is terrified right now and upset. He's thinking that not only does his uncle hate him, enough to hurt him like this, but so do his cousins. Now he's finally resting and I'm not gonna upset him again by asking about the kidnapping. I will ask him in the morning though, okay?"

"Guess it'll have to be," Luke conceded. "I do appreciate it Cooter and I wanted to say thanks for being here for him."

"Well where else would I be Lukas Dukas, you and Bo are the best friends I got," Cooter replied, sounding slightly offended.

"I didn't mean anything by it, just wanted to let you know it's appreciated," Luke explained.

"You're welcome, now was there anything else?"

"No, guess not."

"Okay then, I'll call ya as soon as I know anything. Luke, I know this hard on you and Daisy, but I think y'all should stay away until Bo decides he's ready," Cooter suggested.

"You be sure to let us know when he's ready, though I can't promise for Daisy. Hell, I don't even know if she's gonna stay at the farm right now."

"Cause of what Bo said?"

"Yeah, she was mad enough that she slapped Jesse when we got back to his room. She made sure he knows how mad she is and then she stormed out," Luke explained.

"Shoot, she must've been mad," Cooter said, whistling softly, impressed by Daisy's temper. "What about you Luke, are you mad too?"

"Of course I'm mad Cooter, somebody kidnapped half my family. Then he hurts Bo, maybe he made Jesse do the actual hurting. You damn right I'm mad!"

"But you're not mad at Jesse?"

"I don't know, on one hand he may have hurt Bo while he was under the influence of this drug. On the other hand, a part of me feels like he should've been able to resist."

"What if Jesse hurt Bo and it wasn't because of a drug or anything else, except for whatever's inside him?" Cooter asked, voicing the thing that Luke feared most.

"Cooter, I love my uncle. He raised us all and I can't hardly believe that he would hurt any of us like this. But, if it turns out that he hurt Bo out of his own anger and lack of control; then I'll support Bo and whatever he wants to do about it."

"Good, I'm glad to hear that. Now, I need to get back in there, like I said, I don't want him waking up alone." Cooter lightly squeezed Luke's shoulder before moving back into Bo's room and taking up his position next to the bed.

The next morning Dr. Appleby released Jesse from the hospital, sending him home with a prescription to help with the after effects of the ketamine and instructions to rest.

Luke helped Jesse out to the pick-up and drove him back to the farm. Making sure that Jesse was settled, Luke went into the bedroom he'd shared with Bo for as long as he could remember. Taking a suitcase from the closet, Luke packed a few clothes and personal items for Bo. Carrying the case out into the living room, he headed towards the back door.

"You going somewhere?" Jesse asked from the doorway of his room, startling Luke.

"No, this is for Bo," Luke began to explain. "I don't think he'll be coming home right away, so I thought I'd take this to him for when they release him."

"I hadn't realized," Jesse whispered, wondering if his family would ever be whole again. "Luke, do you know where Daisy is?"

"She called this morning, said she's staying with her friend Sally Jo for a while," Luke replied.

"Did you tell her your theory?"

"Yeah I told her, it didn't make any difference, at least not yet. I'm hoping that once she thinks about it, she'll realize that it's the only thing that makes sense."

Sadly nodding in agreement, Jesse turned around and walked back into his room, shutting the door behind him.

Bo woke up when they brought his breakfast tray in, startled to see Cooter sitting next to his bed, snoring softly. "Cooter, wake up Cooter," Bo called to his friend.

"What?" Cooter replied, not really awake yet. Something landing softly in his lap, startled him fully awake. "Hey!" Cooter cried out, jerking awake and nearly tumbling from the chair. Looking down at his lap, he saw a small pack of tissues that had been thrown there.

"Cooter, why are ya still here?" Bo asked, instantly regretting the question. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean..." he trailed off, not sure if he should try to explain, or how to.

"Where else would I be when a friend needs me?" Cooter asked, deciding to ignore the rest of Bo's words.

"Don't know why you'd want to be around me, but thanks Cooter." Bo softly spoke, looking at his tray as he played with the unappetizing food.

"Hey, nobody talks about my friends like that," Cooter protested, standing up and placing his hand on Bo's shoulder. "Bo, you're one of the best friends I've got. As long as you need me, there ain't gonna be any other place I want to be." Cooter told him, the sincerity in his voice impossible to ignore.

"Has...anybody been here this morning?" Bo asked, not sure which answer he was hoping to hear.

"Luke came by yesterday while you were asleep. He says that Daisy got pretty mad at Jesse, she even slapped him before she took off. I haven't seen anything of Daisy yet, but given what Luke said it wouldn't surprise me if she comes by later. Bo, do you want to see any of them if they come by?"

"I..." Bo paused, licking suddenly dry lips as he tried to decide how to answer. He didn't want to see Luke, not after what he'd said yesterday and he sure didn't want to see Jesse. Then there was Daisy, after what Delbert did to her, he didn't know if he'd ever be able to face her again. Bo's problem was he didn't know what Cooter wanted him to say, would he get mad if Bo told him the truth? "Guess there's only one way to find out," Bo mumbled to himself.

"What was that Bo?"

"Cooter, I don't want to see any of them right now. Is that okay?" Bo asked in a small voice, hoping he hadn't just lost the one person who still seemed to care about him.

"Of course it's okay Bo, whatever you need. I don't want you to push yourself into doing anything ya ain't ready for," Cooter replied. "Now, why don't you eat some of that there breakfast?"

"What about you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Where's your breakfast?"

"Oh, well I'll get something later," Cooter hedged, figuring he could sneak off to the cafeteria while Bo was asleep.

"It's alright Cooter, you can go get something to eat. In fact, I think you should go on home...I'll be okay," Bo suggested, dreading the thought of being alone.

"You tryin' to get rid of me buddyro?" Cooter jokingly asked. "If it's alright with you, I was planning to stay here today."

"You don't have to do that Coot, I can handle being alone for a few hours," Bo assured his friend. "You got a business to run, ya shouldn't be here babysitting me."

"It ain't no problem Bo, I can always get L.B. or B.B. to take care of the garage for a few days."

"No!" Bo snapped, his voice getting louder. "Sorry Cooter, I just don't want you putting your life on hold for me. Please, it'll make me feel better to know that I'm not making trouble for you," Bo told his friend, hoping Cooter wouldn't get mad.

"Alright I'll go to the garage, but you have to promise to call if you need me to come back, okay?"

"I promise," Bo replied, a feeling of warmth flooding his soul at his friend's words.

"If it's okay with you, I'm gonna still spend the nights here," Cooter both stated and asked.

"Thanks Cooter, I'd appreciate that."

At six o'clock, Cooter closed the doors to the garage and raced back to the hospital. He forced himself to drive the speed limit, the only thing that kept him from flooring it was knowing he wouldn't help Bo if he had an accident. All day as he had worked on the cars in his garage, he had found his thoughts returning again and again to Bo. Wondering if he was okay, jumping every time the phone rang, sure it would be the hospital asking him to come back. This had been the longest day of his life, as he tried to keep his mind focused on the cars he was working on. Normally, he would've been open until at least eight o'clock. However when he caught himself about to change the oil on a car he'd just changed the oil on, he knew it was time to go. Grabbing the suitcase Luke had dropped off eariler, Cooter had thrown it in the cab of his truck and left Hazzard for Tri-County Hospital. Finally arriving outside Bo's room, he slowly pushed the door open, smiling at the sight which greeted him.

Moving into the room, Cooter slowly stepped over to the bed, a grin still spread across his face. Reaching down, he carefully moved the tray from in front of Bo, glad to see he'd eaten about half his supper before falling asleep. Moving the table that held the tray to the side, Cooter went back to Bo and gently removed the fork from his hand, careful not to wake him. After laying the fork on the table, Cooter quietly placed the suitcase he'd brought in with him into the closet. Going back to the bed, he sat down in the chair next to it and waited for Bo to wake up.

Forty-five minutes later Bo began to mumble in his sleep, moving restlessly in the bed. "No don't touch me...please don't," Bo cried out, jerking away from Cooter's touch on his arm.

Cooter quickly pulled his hand back, horrified by what he was hearing. Not wanting to upset Bo any further, he quietly called to his friend. "Bo, wake up now, you're okay, it's just a dream."

Bo's eyes flew open, turning his head, he looked at Cooter as though he didn't see him. A few seconds later, he shook his head, trying to clear it, "Cooter? What are ya doing here?"

"Told you I was coming back to stay the night, remember?"

"Oh, I didn't realize it was that late," Bo muttered, taking a calming breath and closing his eyes for a few seconds. "How long have you been here?" Bo asked, opening his eyes again and glancing at Cooter.

"Not long," Cooter replied. Reaching over, he put his hand on Bo's arm again, "You want to talk about that nightmare?"

"Nightmare?"

"Yeah, the one you just woke up from," Cooter told him.

"That nightmare, um...do I have to?" Bo asked in a quiet voice.

"Not if you don't want to, but it might help," Cooter suggested.

"Maybe later."

"Okay, so other than that nightmare, how did your day go?"

"It was fine, I told ya I'd be fine. Cooter, I don't want you to think I'm a bad person, but it got better after the nurse told me Jesse had gone home."

"Yeah I know about Jesse, Luke stopped by the garage earlier. He wanted me to ask you about something, but first I want you to know, I don't think you're a bad person. Heck after what you've been through, I'd be surprised if you didn't feel relieved to know Jesse ain't so close by."

"Thanks, so Luke has a question?" Bo nervously asked, having a pretty good idea what the question was.

"Yeah, he wanted to know if you knew who it was that kidnapped you in the first place?"

That wasn't the question Bo had been expecting and it took a minute for him to adjust his thinking. "He said his name was Delbert Penny. He claimed that my dad and Uncle Jesse helped send him to prison, said they turned him into the revenuers. I didn't believe him at first, but after what Jesse did to me, I ain't so sure. Let me guess, Luke is trying to blame him for what Jesse did? Well you can tell Luke that after Jesse got there, I never even saw Delbert Penny. I never saw Jesse tied up or anything either, he sure didn't act like he was being forced if that's what Luke is thinking," Bo said, speaking bitterly.

"Bo, Luke doesn't know yet what happened and you know Luke, he's just trying to get all the facts. There are some things he wanted you to know..."

"Like what? That he doesn't believe me, or maybe that he hates me too?" Bo asked, interrupting Cooter, the loudness of his voice bringing the nurse into the room.

"Is everything alright in here?"

"Yeah, I'm sorry, just got a little upset, it won't happen again," Bo replied.

"See that it doesn't or I'll have to ask your friend to leave," the older nurse firmly ordered.

"Yes ma'am," Bo contritely answered.

"Bo, Luke doesn't hate you, I'm sure of it," Cooter assured him.

"Okay," Bo replied, obviously not convinced.

"Maybe someday you'll believe that. Now, what he wanted you to know is that Jesse was drugged. Before you say anything, the doctor found traces of a drug in his blood."

"What drug?"

"It's called Ketamine and it causes hallucinations and violent nightmares," Cooter began to explain, only to be interrupted again.

"He wasn't asleep Cooter when he hit me, and he knew exactly who I was when he held a burning torch against me."

"I know Bo, but Luke thinks this Delbert guy may have used it to brainwash Jesse so he'd hurt you."

"That doesn't make any sense Cooter, and even if he did, that still doesn't change the things Jesse said. You gonna tell me that was the drug and Delbert too?"

"I don't know Bo, neither does Luke he's just trying to figure it all out. The most important thing he told me is that, if it turns out Jesse did this on his own he'll support you and whatever you want to do."

"He said that?"

"He sure did," Cooter confirmed.

"Maybe he doesn't hate me?" Bo mumbled, a glimmer of hope beginning to form in his heart. "No, he said that they all hate me," he reminded himself of Jesse's words, afraid to hope.

"Bo?" Cooter asked, unable to make out what his friend was mumbling.

"Nothing, I was just thinking out loud is all. Oh, I almost forgot, if you're gonna spend the night here you might want to get that chair over there," Bo told his friend, pointing to the corner.

"Why that chair?"

"The nurse had somebody from housekeeping bring it in earlier. She said that it folds out into a bed, might be more comfortable than sleeping sitting up," Bo suggested with a touch of his normal humor. Unfortunately the grin slid from his face a few seconds later when a knock sounded at the door. Glancing fearfully towards the door, Bo waited to see who would come through the door, terrified that it would be his uncle.

Seeing the sudden fear on Bo's face, Cooter hurried over to the door and cracked it open. "Daisy? What are you doing here sweetheart?" Cooter softly asked.

"I was hoping I could see Bo, but I didn't want to just walk in and upset him. Would you ask him if I can come in Cooter?"

"Yeah just a minute," Cooter replied, softly shutting the door and turning back to Bo. "Bo?" He called when he saw that his friend was staring pointedly away from the door at a spot on the far wall. "It's Daisy, she wants to know if she can...?"

"No, I can't...please Cooter don't make me talk to her. I can't face her, not after what I did, please no," Bo begged, having no idea how to make things right with Daisy.

"Bo, what are ya talkin' about? Ya ain't never done anything to Daisy, she doesn't hate ya I promise," Cooter moved quickly to Bo's side, trying to get through to the younger man.

"Yes I did, and if she doesn't hate me she will as soon as she knows what I did," Bo inisisted.

"Bo, look at me buddyro," Cooter said, reaching out to grasp Bo's chin and turn his head towards him. "What is it that you think you did to Daisy?"

"I...he, and it's my fault. If I hadn't been selfish, he wouldn't have and Daisy wouldn't have gotten... Uncle Jesse's right, I'm a selfish jerk and they'd all be better off if I'd never been born," Bo said, grasping the sheets, tightly wrapping them around his hands as he spoke.

"Bo you're not making any sense, what do ya think is your fault?" Cooter asked again, worried by Bo's reaction to the thought of seeing Daisy.

Bo didn't answer though, just laid in the bed rapidly shaking his head as the tears streamed down his face.

"Alright Bo, you don't have to tell me anything now. Shhh, calm down now," Cooter soothed, brushing his hand through Bo's hair. Relieved when Bo finally began to calm down, Cooter reluctantly moved back to the door. Quietly opening the door, he stepped outside to tell Daisy that she wouldn't be able to see Bo, a conversation he dreaded.

Pulling the door shut behind him, he gently led Daisy down the hall to a small waiting room. "Daisy honey I'm sorry, but Bo isn't ready to see you yet."

"But why not? Cooter he does know that I believe him doesn't he?" Daisy asked, wondering if anybody had told their friend about her confrontation with Uncle Jesse.

"Yeah he knows, Luke came by and told me about what happened when y'all got back to Jesse's room yesterday. I don't know for sure what's wrong Daisy, but he seems to think that something happened to you because of him. I ain't got no idea what he's talking about, but he's convinced you'll hate him, if you don't already."

"Oh Cooter, what are we going to do? How could Uncle Jesse hurt Bo like that?" Daisy cried, her heart breaking for all of them.

"Daisy honey, has Luke talked to you since yesterday?"

"No, why?"

While Cooter sat down the hall, explaining what Luke had found out, Bo lay in his bed staring at the door, tears streaming down his face. _Why didn't I keep my mouth shut? What if Cooter never comes back? Well why would he? What would he want with a worthless, selfish jerk like me? I wish I'd died with my mama. Please come back Cooter, please don't hate me. _Bo silently begged, staring at the door, his soul shriveling a little more as the door remained stubbornly closed.

TBC

Thanks for all the great reviews, I'm always so pleased to read them. The muse food is very welcome, please review.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I don't own the Dukes of Hazzard, not making any money, just cheap thrills.

Warnings: Angst, OOC(Out of Character),

Rating: FRT

Italics and/or indicates thoughts

Do The Right Thing

Chapter 7

When Cooter finally returned to Bo's hospital room, he was relieved to find the younger man asleep. Until he moved closer to the bed and saw the tear streaks on his friend's cheeks. "Aw Bo, I sure wish I knew how to help you buddyro," he whispered, absently picking up Bo's hand as he spoke. Sitting down in the chair next to the bed, Cooter picked up the newspaper laying on the nightstand and began to read.

"Sorry...don't...please," Bo mumbled in his sleep, tossing his head from side to side as he dreamt. Suddenly bolting upright, his eyes flying open wide with fear, Bo's breath came in rapid gasps as he was violently jolted awake.

As Bo looked wildly around the room, Cooter realized that Bo wasn't really awake yet. "Bo wake up," Cooter called, shaking the younger man's shoulder as he tried to wake him. "Come on now buddyro," he called again, relieved when Bo turned towards him, his eyes finally alert. "You with me now?"

"Yeah," Bo replied, shaking his head, trying to clear away the remnants of his nightmare. "Um, Cooter, uh, did I say anything before I woke up?"

"Not much, just a word here and there," Cooter replied. "Bo maybe it'd help if you were to tell me what it is you were dreaming about," Cooter quietly suggested.

"I don't know if I can Cooter," Bo said, looking away from his friend, but not before Cooter saw the shame in his eyes.

"Bo, please talk to me," Cooter practically begged his younger friend. When Bo only shook his head and refused to look at him, he tried another tactic. "Bo, ya know the doctor will probably release you tommorrow don't ya?" He waited until Bo answered the question with a quick nod before continuing. "I was figuring that you won't want to go home, and I want you to know you're welcome to stay with me."

"Thanks Cooter, I hadn't even thought about where I'd go."

"It ain't no problem Bo, that's what friends do for each other. Friends are also honest with each other, don't you think that I deserve to know what you're dreaming about?" Cooter asked, playing on Bo's feelings of guilt and feeling completely ashamed of himself. He hated using Bo's obvious fear and guilt against him, but he couldn't figure out any other way to get the younger man to talk.

"I'm sorry Cooter, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings," Bo sincerely apologized. "Do you suppose anybody would object if I stayed at the Pearson farm?" Bo asked.

Cooter looked at Bo in confusion, "The Pearson farm? Why would you want to go staying at that rundown old place? Heck Bo I don't think there's even electricity or running water out there anymore," Cooter pointed out.

"Got to stay somewhere and once I tell ya what I done you ain't gonna want me to stay at your place," Bo dejectedly explained.

"Bo I don't know what you think could be that bad, but I'm telling ya there ain't nothing that could make me turn my back on ya."

"I don't know what all's true anymore Cooter, but there is one thing I know happened and it was my fault. That first day Delbert, he was saying some stuff to me and...touching me," Bo quietly began explaining.

"Bo are you telling me that Delbert, that he hurt you...um sexually?" Cooter barely managed to ask, horrified at the thought of Bo being put through something so horrible.

"No, but he wanted to. He was touching me and I fought against him, heck Cooter I was begging him not to. I sure was surprised when he stopped and asked me if I was sure I didn't want him to...do that. When I told him I didn't, he said that...he left to go...he went after Daisy and it's my fault. If I hadn't been so selfish, Daisy wouldn't have got hurt any. But I was selfish and she got hurt, now she hates me, not that I blame her any..."

"Whoa, hold it right there Bo," Cooter interrupted, his voice finally returning as the shock wore off. "Bo this Delbert fella didn't hurt Daisy none, nobody has."

"Yes he did, I saw the scratches on his face and Uncle Jesse said that she hates me. If I had just let him do what he wanted he wouldn't have gone after Daisy," Bo explained, turning his head to the side in shame.

"Bo look at me," Cooter tried to get his friend's attention. Grabbing the younger man's chin, he forced Bo to look at him. "First of all Daisy didn't get raped or anything else. I know what Delbert and Jesse told you, but they lied to you. I've been with your family from the time you disappeared to the time we found you, trust me Bo nobody hurt Daisy. Secondly, if he had done that to her, it wouldn't be your fault, only his," Cooter assured his friend, hoping he was getting through.

"How can you say that Cooter? It is my fault cause I didn't give in, cause I fought back," Bo insisted.

"Were you handcuffed when he tried to...rape you?" Cooter asked, finding it nearly impossible to get that word out.

"Yeah, so?"

"So? Bo if you were cuffed, how much fight could you have put up? Think about it buddyro, if Delbert really wanted to hurt you, ya couldn't have stopped him. Here's something else for you to think about Bo, do you really think Daisy would want to see that happen to you, even if it would save her from it?"

"But I was selfish, wasn't I?"

"Aw Bo, there ain't nothin' selfish about fighting back against something like that. I can't imagine anybody that wouldn't, especially the men I know. There wasn't anything selfish about it, I swear to you it wasn't," Cooter reassured him. "When he told you that he was going after Daisy, what did you do?" Cooter asked, having an idea of what Bo probably did.

"I asked him not to, told him I'd do what he wanted if he didn't hurt Daisy," Bo replied.

"So, you offered to let him rape you so Daisy wouldn't be? I don't know Bo, but that doesn't sound like a selfish man to me. Fact is, I'm not sure I know anybody else that would be that self-sacrificing."

"You mean that don't you?" Bo asked, obviously surprised that Cooter didn't think he was selfish.

"Of course I mean it," Cooter replied sincerely. "Now I ain't gonna stop you from staying at the Pearson farm or anywhere else if that's what you want. Howsoever, I would be honored if you'd stay with me for however long you need to."

"Thanks Cooter I appreciate it," Bo replied.

"Anytime Bo," Cooter said, grabbing Bo's forearm in a firm grip, smiling when Bo returned the gesture.

It was acutally another two days before Bo was released from the hospital. Driving towards Cooter's farm, he couldn't help feeling a bit sad that it wasn't the Duke farm he was going to. _Stop it! You're dang lucky that Cooter would want to take you in. Just stop feeling sorry for yourself and make sure you don't blow your friendship with Cooter too. _Bo silently berated himself, sure that if he wasn't careful, Cooter would grow to hate him too.

"Bo, you want to go to the farm first or the garage?" Cooter asked when he came to the crossroads. Looking over at his friend, Cooter saw the lost look on his face as he stared out the window and felt his heart breaking. "Bo?"

"Huh? Sorry Cooter did you say something?" Bo asked, sure he'd messed up already.

"Just wanted to know if we should go to the farm and drop off your suitcase or go on into town?" Cooter asked. He was careful to keep the anger he felt towards Jesse and Delbert from his voice, knowing that Bo would probably misunderstand it.

"Oh, um, well..." Bo stuttered out, afraid he would make the wrong choice.

"Tell ya what, why don't we go on to the farm. We'll put your things up and get some lunch, then we'll head into town. Unless you want to stay at the farm while I go into town," Cooter offered, already sure of the answer.

"That sounds good Cooter, and if it's okay with you I'd rather go into town."

"Okay, then that's what we'll do," Cooter agreed, turning his truck towards Jessup road and his farm. Arriving at the farm, Cooter grabbed Bo's suitcase and led the way inside. Showing Bo to the spare bedroom, he laid his suitcase on the bed and left him to put his things away. "I'll just go get lunch together, holler if ya need anything," Cooter said, turning away and heading to the kitchen.

Less than forty-five minutes later, they were back in the truck and on their way to town. "Now Bo, don't you be worrying about running into anybody in town. If somebody comes in that you don't want to see, you can go upstairs or into my office," Cooter reminded his friend.

"I remember, thanks Cooter," Bo quietly replied, never turning away from staring out the side window.

"Uncle Jesse I'm going into town, there anything..." Luke trailed off when he walked in and saw his uncle's pale face. "Uncle Jesse what is it? Did the hospital call?" Luke asked, afraid that something had happened to Bo.

"No, they didn't call...I remembered something," Jesse began to explain.

"What did you remember?" Luke gently questioned, not sure he wanted to know but figuring he needed to.

"I was standing over Bo and I..."

"You what?"

"I was...he wasn't lying Luke, I did hurt him. I remember holding a burning torch against him and enjoying the sounds of his screams. What kind of monster am I?" Jesse asked his nephew, tears shimmering in his eyes.

"Uncle Jesse, do you remember anything else?" Luke asked, hoping that his uncle would remember something that would prove he was a victim too.

"No, just that...wait," Jesse said. "There was a voice, but I don't know who's it was."

"What was the voice saying?" Luke asked, barely remembering not to mention Delbert's name. After Cooter had filled him in on what Bo had said, Luke had decided that he should see if Jesse remembered Delbert's name on his own. He wasn't sure if it would prove anything or not, but it somehow seemed like the right thing to do.

"He was saying that Bo killed his family with fire and he started to say something else, but I can't remember what. I don't understand this Luke. Bo didn't kill his folks, why would anybody want me to believe that?"

"I don't know Uncle Jesse," Luke replied. "You're sure that you didn't recognize the voice?"

"I'm tellin' ya boy, I didn't know the voice," Jesse snapped, frustrated by his inability to remember. "I'm sorry Luke, I just don't understand this. How could I hurt Bo? Why would I?"

"I don't know Uncle Jesse, but now that you've started remembering maybe we can start figuring this thing out."

"I hope so," Jesse said, sighing softly.

For several minutes neither man spoke, both lost in thought, worried about their family. Finally Jesse spoke, "You said you were going into town?"

Looking up from the table, it took Luke a moment to realize that Jesse had said something. "Huh, oh yeah, I was gonna go pick up a part at Cooter's and I wanted to know if you need me to get anything?"

"No, but could you ask Cooter how Bo's doing?"

"Already figured on it Uncle Jesse," Luke replied, standing up and heading outside to the General.

Cooter and Bo had only been at the garage for a few minutes when the familiar roar of the General was heard. With a terrified cry, Bo hurried inside and climbed up into the room above the garage. Shaking his head, saddened by the younger man's reaction to seeing his family, Cooter turned towards the front of the garage just as Luke pulled up to the doors.

"Luke, what can I do for ya?" Cooter asked, sounding a bit friendlier than he had a few days ago, but still seeming leary of his friend.

"I came to pick up the new clutch assembly for the General," Luke replied.

"Oh, yeah I got it right over here," Cooter told Luke. Walking over to a nearby tool bench, Cooter picked up a box and turned back to Luke. "Here ya go Luke," Cooter said, tossing the box to the other man.

"Thanks Cooter," Luke said, catching the box and placing it inside the General. "Um Cooter, I was just wondering , how's Bo?"

"He's okay I guess, physically anyway," Cooter answered, not quite sure what to say.

"Guess that means he ain't ready to talk to any of us?"

"Luke come here," Cooter softly spoke, motioning his friend towards the pumps. "Luke I don't know when Bo will be ready for that. He's here...now hold on Luke don't you go rushing in there. We heard the General coming, buddyro Bo panicked, he's hiding upstairs right now. I'm only tellin' ya this so you'll have an idea of how far he has to go before that happens. What about Jesse, has he remembered anything?"

"Yeah he did, right before I left he remembered something, you ain't gonna like it either. He remembers burning Bo, but he also remembers a strange voice telling him that Bo had killed his family with fire."

"So maybe this Penny fella did brainwash Jesse after all?"

"Maybe, I tell ya Cooter I sure hope so. I know that even if we can prove to Bo that Uncle Jesse was brainwashed, it'll still be hard for him to get past this, but at least it should help."

"Well I can tell ya this much Luke, that fella definitely played head games with Bo," Cooter said. "He finally told me why he's so sure Daisy hates him." By the time Cooter had finished explaining, Luke was barely keeping his breakfast down. "I'm trying to convince him to talk to Daisy," Cooter told Luke when he'd finished the story.

"Maybe I should tell Daisy..."

"I don't think so Luke," Cooter interrupted. "I think he'll believe her easier if he can tell she doesn't know what he's talking about. You tell Daisy and then if I can talk Bo into seeing her, she'll know what it's about. He's a mess right now Luke, I'm thinking he may not believe her if she's not shocked. He may think she's just trying to be nice to him," Cooter explained.

"You might be right about that," Luke admitted. "Damn it Cooter, I just wish there was some way I could fix this," Luke snapped.

"I know Luke," Cooter said, laying a supportive hand on his friend's shoulder. "Hang in there buddy, it's gonna take time but you'll get your family back," Cooter encouraged.

"Thanks Cooter, guess I better get back home," Luke said, climbing into the General. Sitting on the doorframe he called out to his friend, "Cooter...take care of him for me."

"You got it Lukas Dukas," Cooter replied, wishing as Luke had, that he could fix this.

"Cooter?" Bo called from above.

"Yeah Bo, it's okay he's gone," Cooter replied.

Climbing down the ladder, Bo cautiously walked over to his friend. "Do you want me to leave?"

"Leave? Why would I want you to leave?" Cooter asked, confused by the fear he saw on Bo's face.

"I don't know, I saw you talking to Luke and I thought maybe..." Bo trailed off, not sure how to explain his fears.

"Bo?"

"I don't know Cooter, I know you said Luke don't hate me, but Uncle Jesse said he did. I guess I just was afraid he was telling you stuff to turn you against me too." Bo explained, looking down at the floor.

Watching Bo standing there, scuffing the toe of one boot against the grease covered floor, Cooter couldn't help thinking how young he looked. "Bo, please look at me," Cooter said, waiting for Bo to look up. "Luke don't hate you, I promise ya that. In fact he's real worried about you buddyro, that's what we were talking about. He wanted to know how you're doing, he even asked me to take care of you for him before he left."

"He did?" Bo asked, hope trying to flare to life within him.

"Yep, he did," Cooter confirmed. "One more thing Bo, I decide for myself who I call friend, and there ain't nothin' anybody could say that would make me stop being your friend."

"You really mean that, don't you?"

"You dang right I do, we okay now?"

"Yeah," Bo softly replied, hardly believing that Cooter still wanted to be his friend. _Yeah well that won't last long. Soon as he finds out the things you've done, he'll know that Uncle Jesse was right to punish you. _Bo told himself, his internal voice sounding suspiciously like his uncle. Turning away from Cooter, he walked over to the tool bench and began to reassemble the carburetor he saw laying there.

"Bo what are ya doing?" Cooter asked, stepping up beside him.

"Nothing," Bo quickly replied, stumbling away from the bench, sure he'd messed up.

"Whoa there Bo, it's okay I was just asking, I ain't mad," Cooter assured him, seeing the fear on his face.

"You're not?"

"No, I'm not."

"Oh, well I was just gonna help with this," Bo told him, pointing to the tool bench.

"Thanks Bo," Cooter told him, patting the younger man on the back. "I appreciate that, it'll be a big help," he told him sincerely. "I'll just be over here working on Mr. Turner's car, holler if you need anything," Cooter said, moving away. Popping open the hood, Cooter bent over the engine and began to work. Looking up a few minutes later, he smiled at Bo working on the carburetor, pleased to see a glimpse of the Bo Duke he'd always known. _Thank the Lord, maybe there's hope after all. _Cooter thought to himself. For several minutes he watched Bo working, thankful that there was something to take his friend's mind from his troubles. Bending back over the engine, Cooter began to whistle, not noticing the figure watching them from the shadows.

TBC

Y'all know the routine, the muse is once again hungry. Please feed the muse, leave reviews.


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I don't own the Dukes of Hazzard, not making any money, just cheap thrills

Warnings: Angst, OOC(Out of Character),

Rating: FRT

Italics and/or indicates thoughts

Do The Right Thing

Chapter 8

Bolting upright in bed, Jesse Duke shivered, sickened by the things he'd dreamt. Looking at the clock, he saw that it wouldn't be long until the alarm went off. Reaching over, he turned off the alarm and climbed out of the bed. Getting dressed, he headed to the kitchen and started a pot of coffee. Leaving the coffee on the stove, he went outside and got started on his morning chores. Seeing that the watering trough was low, Jesse hooked up the garden hose and began to fill the trough.

Luke woke up, wondering what had disturbed his sleep. Hearing a noise outside, he got up and went to investigate. As soon as he saw the coffee pot on the stove, he knew the noise he'd heard must be Jesse doing chores. Going back to his room, he quickly got dressed and went outside to help his uncle. Stepping out the back door, Luke was just in time to see Jesse drop the hose and back away from it, a horrified look on his face. Running over to his uncle, Luke caught the older man when his knees buckled and he nearly hit the ground. "Uncle Jesse, what is it?"

"Luke? I..."

"You remembered something didn't you?" Luke asked. "What did you remember?" Luke asked, when Jesse's only response was a nod of his head.

"The hose...I don't know why, but I was spraying Bo with a hose and he was crying and begging me to stop," Jesse finally replied. "Luke, what else am I going to remember doing to Bo?"

"Uncle Jesse..."

"Tell me Luke, what else did I do to him?"

"I don't know Uncle Jesse. I can tell ya what was done to him but I don't know what was you and what was the man who kidnapped him."

"Then tell me what was done to him," Jesse gruffly demanded.

"Alright, but why don't you go inside and fix us each some coffee while I finish chores, then I'll tell ya."

Twenty minutes later, Luke had completed the morning chores and was heading inside. Stepping into the kitchen, he saw Jesse sitting at the table, a cup of coffee held between his hands and staring into space. "Uncle Jesse," he softly called, not wanting to startle the older man.

Jumping slightly, in spite of Luke's efforts, Jesse sloshed coffee onto his hand, bringing him out of his dazed state. "Luke, I didn't hear you come in."

"Looked like you were pretty lost in thought there," Luke observed, the unasked question hanging in the air.

"Yeah, I was just remembering how close I was to Bo before the kidnapping and wondering if we'd ever have that again," Jesse explained. "Now you gonna tell me what happened to Bo, or do you have some other way to delay answering?"

"I could probably come up with something, but I guess there ain't much point, is there? Alright Uncle Jesse, there ain't no easy way to tell you so I'll just say it straight out. Bo was beaten with some kind of whip, he's also got several burns mostly on his back and legs. He was beaten with fists and boots too, he's got quite a few cuts on top of that. He has several cracked ribs and a concussion, but the worst damage is what was done to him up here," Luke said, pointing to his head.

"What do you mean?" Jesse asked, not at all sure he wanted to know.

"I can't answer that Uncle Jesse, I don't know what all he was told, but I know he's convinced we all hate him. There's only one thing I know for sure that Bo was told, and you didn't tell him this," Luke began, repeating what Cooter had told him a couple of days ago. Continuing to talk, he went on to explain what Delbert had convinced Bo of about Daisy, though he didn't mention Delbert's name.

"Dear Lord, how could anybody do that to another human being?" Jesse asked, momentairly forgetting his part in Bo's torture.

"I don't know Uncle Jesse, but I will find him I promise you that," Luke replied.

"No, if Delbert Penny doesn't want to be...Delbert Penny! That's who kidnapped Bo and he was the other person in the barn with me," Jesse cried out excitedly.

"What else do you remember Uncle Jesse?"

"I remember being cuffed to a chair, and a needle...Delbert gave me something, he was telling me that I was going to hurt Bo. I didn't believe him, but well we both know he's right and I did hurt your cousin," Jesse dejectedly replied, his earlier excitement fading quickly.

"You might have been the one who physically hurt Bo; but between what Dr. Appleby told me about that drug and what you're remembering, I don't think you really knew what you were doing."

"Do you really think that's gonna matter to Bo?" Jesse demanded. "All Bo knows is that I hurt him, physically and emotionally, how's he ever gonna forgive me for that?"

"You're right, that is all he knows right now, but I'm sure once he knows the truth he'll forgive you," Luke said, offering what comfort he could.

"I ain't so sure about that Luke," Jesse sadly stated. "How are we gonna tell him anyway, when he won't even talk to any of us? Can't get his forgiveness if I can't tell him what I remember."

"That is a problem, but I can tell Cooter and try to get Bo to meet with us somewhere," Luke replied.

"Not yet though," Jesse said, surprising Luke.

"Why not? Don't you want to get our family back?"

"Of course I do! I just ain't sure that either me or Bo is ready to have that talk, besides I ain't even remembered everything. Might be better to wait until I can remember enough so that I can explain why I hurt him," Jesse explained.

"That makes sense I suppose," Luke reluctantly agreed. "What about Daisy?"

"I guess I should tell her, if I can get her to listen," Jesse replied. "Maybe after breakfast, you could go talk to her," Jesse suggested, standing up and starting breakfast.

"Bo, time to get up," Cooter called from the doorway of the spare room.

"Five more minutes," Bo mumbled sleepily, pulling the covers further around his shoulders.

"Sorry no can do buddyro, we got company coming this morning, remember?" Cooter said, stepping into the room and gently shaking Bo's arm to wake him.

"Company?" Bo asked, still not fully awake. Suddenly he jerked away from Cooter and rolled onto his back, eyes widening as he remembered who was coming here today. "She's not here yet is she?"

"No, thought you might like to get a shower and some coffee before she gets here," Cooter explained.

"Oh, g...guess that's a good idea," Bo stuttered out.

"Bo?" Cooter said, waiting for his friend to look at him. "You ain't got to be nervous, I promise ya Daisy doesn't hate you." Cooter assured him.

"I hope you're right Cooter," Bo softly said.

"Well the coffee will be waitin' for ya when you get out of the shower," Cooter told him as he left the room.

"Thanks Cooter," Bo replied.

A short time later, Bo walked into the kitchen and poured himself a cup of coffee, barely remembering not to ask permission. Cooter had made it very clear that he didn't want Bo asking every time he wanted a cup of coffee or something to eat. Although he still wasn't sure, and rarely got anything for himself unless Cooter was eating too, he was trying his best to do as Cooter asked. The last thing he wanted was to make Cooter mad and lose the only person who cared about him.

Just as Cooter was removing the ham slices from the skillet, a car pulled up outside making Bo jump. A minute later there was a knock on the back door.

"Come on in," Cooter called.

Nervously stepping into the kitchen, Daisy silently cried out at the fear she could see on Bo's face.

"Hey Daisy, come on in and have a seat, breakfast will be ready in a few minutes," Cooter called.

Startling slightly at Cooter's greeting, Daisy nodded hello and cautiously took a seat at the table. Looking across at her cousin, she wasn't sure how this was going to work if Bo wouldn't even look at her. Steeling herself for rejection, she called his name, "Bo?"

"H..hi Daisy," Bo stuttered out, his voice barely louder than a whisper.

Though he still hadn't looked at her, Daisy smiled, feeling a bit of hope from his greeting. "How've you been sugar?"

"Okay I guess...DaisyI'msorrypleasedon'thateme," Bo hurriedly begged, speaking so fast he could barely be understood.

"Bo, I don't hate you baby, how could I?" Daisy asked, confused by her cousin's plea.

"Cause it's my fault," Bo replied.

"What's your fault?"

"What he did to you."

"Bo, what are ya talking about, nobody did anything to me," Daisy replied, growing more confused with each word Bo said. Looking at Cooter, Daisy hoped for a clue about what Bo was talking about.

Cooter wasn't looking at her though, his focus was on Bo as he silently encouraged the younger man to tell Daisy everything.

"I can't do this," Bo suddenly cried out, jumping up from the table and running outside.

"Bo!" Daisy yelled, standing up and beginning to follow him. Coming out the back door, she saw Bo leaning against the side of the house, shoulders shaking with silent sobs. "Bo honey, please tell me what's going on," Daisy said, coming up beside him and laying a hand on his back. For several minutes, neither cousin spoke. Just as Daisy had decided Bo wouldn't answer, he began to talk.

"I know Delbert raped you Daisy, and it's my fault," Bo said, his voice filled with shame.

"Raped me? Bo ain't nobody ever done that to me and who the heck is Delbert?" Daisy yelled, clearly shocked by Bo's words.

"You don't have to pretend Daisy, he told me what he did to you and it's my fault," Bo insisted.

"Bo, you're not making any sense sugar. Let's start with this, who's Delbert?"

"He's the man that kidnapped me," Bo explained.

"Okay, and he told you that he raped me?"

"Yeah, and he had scratches on his face too."

"So this happened while you were missing?" Daisy asked, wanting to be clear.

"Yeah," Bo replied, refusing to look at her.

"Bo, he lied to you, I swear to ya Bo, nobody raped me. Nobody!"

Finally Bo chanced a glance towards his cousin, surprised to see the shocked outrage on her face. "You ain't lyin' are ya?"

"No baby, I ain't lying to you," Daisy replied, relieved that he was listening to her. Reluctantly, not sure if she should but needing to know, she asked her next question. "Bo, why would it have been your fault if he had raped me?"

"It doesn't matter none," Bo replied, not wanting to share his shame with her.

"Bo? Please tell me cousin?"

"I told ya, it doesn't matter."

"I think it does matter Bo, it mattered enough for you to think I'd hate you. Don't you think I deserve to know?"

"He was going to," Bo reluctantly began. "He touched me and wanted to...but I resisted and he said he'd go see you. I begged him not to Daisy, even told him I'd do what he wanted but he just ignored me and walked out. When he came back, he had scratches on his face and he said that he'd been to see you. If he had raped you it would've been my fault because I was selfish," Bo explained, looking away from her as he spoke.

"Bo! How could you think...? Oh Bo, you're wrong baby even if he had raped me it wouldn't have been your fault. Of course you fought back, anybody would have," Daisy assured him. "I can't tell you how proud I am of you Bo or how good it feels to know I'm loved that much."

Bo looked at her in surprise, "Proud? How can you be proud of me, my selfishness nearly got you raped?"

"I'm proud because you offered to sacrifice yourself for me. You've been looking at this all wrong Bo, it wasn't selfish to fight back to begin with. Then when you thought he was going to rape me, you offered to let yourself be raped to save me. I can't think of many things that would be more unselfish and it sure tells me how much you love me. I'll tell ya, I'm not sure I could've made that offer if I'd been in your place."

"Thanks Daisy," Bo said, "You're wrong though, you would've done the same thing." Bo told her, finally believing that his cousin really meant what she said.

"You're welcome Bo, I'm glad you told me what's been wrong. Are we okay now?"

"I...well we're okay about that anyway," Bo cryptically replied. He wasn't sure how she would feel about him when she learned of all the terrible things he'd done in his life.

"Guess that's a start. So tell me cousin, can Cooter really cook?" Daisy asked teasingly.

"Not as good as you, but he's not bad," Bo seriously replied.

"I'm sure he's not a bad cook, I was just teasing," Daisy explained, not liking the serious look on Bo's face.

"I know Daisy, please don't though. Cooter's been a good friend, he's given me a place to stay and stood by me, he don't deserve to be treated bad." Bo explained, meaning every word, but not telling her of his constant fear of losing that friendship.

"Okay Bo, I won't tease him then. Come on, let's go inside and see what he's fixed for us," Daisy suggested, taking his arm and leading him back inside.

Looking up from where he was buttering the last of the biscuits, Cooter smiled at the two cousins coming inside arm in arm. "Hey y'all are just in time, I was just about to set the biscuits on the table."

"Looks good Cooter, thanks for inviting me," Daisy said, looking at the scrambled eggs and fried ham already on the table.

"Sure thing Daisy," Cooter replied. "So y'all get things straightened out?"

"We got a good start on it Cooter," Daisy replied, pulling out a chair and sitting down.

"Glad to hear it Daisy. Bo, you okay?" Cooter asked, noticing how quiet Bo was being.

"I'm fine Cooter, just trying to figure out how to thank you."

"For what?"

"For making me talk to Daisy, if you hadn't gotten me to talk to her, I never would've known the truth."

"You're welcome Bo, but you had the hard part," Cooter replied. "Well y'all just start digging in, I don't stand on ceremony," Cooter told them as he joined them at the table. Reaching towards the ham, Cooter was surprised when Daisy suddenly grabbed his hand.

Taking Bo's hand with her other hand, Daisy bowed her head and began to pray. "Lord, we ask that you bless this wonderful meal that our friend Cooter fixed for us. Thank you Lord for giving the Duke family such a good friend to look out for us. And Lord, I thank you for giving Bo, with Cooter's help, the strength to talk to me. Amen." Letting go of the hands she held, Daisy reached for the plate of eggs and began to serve herself.

Cooter looked at Daisy, shocked, but pleased by her words. "Thank you Daisy, that was beautiful."

"I meant every word Cooter," Daisy replied, as she began to eat.

While Daisy and Cooter talked, Bo quietly listened. He only hoped that Cooter and Daisy would still care about him when they learned the whole truth.

TBC

Thanks for all the great reviews. But the muse is hungry again, please review.


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I don't own the Dukes of Hazzard, not making any money, just cheap thrills

Warnings: Angst, OOC(Out of Character), Tissue Warning

Rating: FRT

Italics and/or indicates thoughts

Do The Right Thing

Chapter 9

Daisy was just climbing out of her jeep when Luke pulled up at Sally Jo's. "Daisy, hold on a minute," he called to her, pleased when she turned towards him.

"Luke, what do ya need?" Daisy asked, wondering if he was here to defend Uncle Jesse.

"I was hoping we could talk, privately," Luke told her, glancing meaningfully at the people walking past them.

"Oh, yeah I guess that'd be okay. Sally Jo should've already left for work, so why don't you come inside?"

"Thanks Daisy," Luke replied, following her inside while silently praying that she would listen.

Letting them inside, Daisy moved to the kitchen and poured them each a cup of coffee, "Have a seat Luke, coffee'll be done in a second." Finishing the coffee, she handed Luke his and sat down at the opposite end of the small table. "You said you wanted to talk?"

"Yeah, Daisy I know you're mad at Uncle Jesse..."

"I know you said he was drugged and all Luke, but I just think he should've been able to fight it. Why didn't he fight harder Luke? Why would he let anybody make him hurt Bo, drugged or not?" Daisy fired the questions at her cousin, her voice steadily rising with her anger.

"How do you know he didn't? You weren't there Daisy, now I know you're upset about what happened to Bo, but that doesn't give you the right to judge Uncle Jesse."

"Maybe not, but it doesn't mean I have to listen to him make excuses either. Luke I don't want to fight with you, I guess I just don't see why you're taking Jesse's side in this," Daisy explained. Softening her tone she went on, "I saw Bo today."

"You did? How is he?" Luke asked, hoping for some good news about his baby cousin.

"Yeah, Cooter invited me out for breakfast, he's not a bad cook either. Luke, I found something out this morning, something that happened to Bo." Looking down at her coffee cup, Daisy took the cup from the table and took a small sip, stalling while she composed herself. "The guy that kidnapped him, Bo said his name is Delbert and that he..." Daisy trailed off, shuddering as she remembered the fear and shame on her cousin's face. "He told Bo that he'd raped..."

"Yeah, I know," Luke said, interrupting her.

"You know! Just how is it you know Luke? Why didn't you tell me?" Daisy yelled.

"Now just calm down Daisy and I'll explain, okay?" Luke asked, waiting until she had calmed down and nodded for him to continue. "Bo finally told Cooter a couple of days ago about what that man said he did to you. I wanted to tell ya right away, but Cooter pointed out that if you were shocked by it then Bo would more likely believe you when you told him it never happened. I didn't really like you getting blind-sided like that, but I knew he was right, so I kept quiet. I'm just glad he was able to convince Bo to talk to you, so, um, did he tell ya anything else?"

"No, he only told me about this supposed rape. The good news is I was able to convince him that it was a lie, so now he knows I don't hate him. Luke, I hate to say this, but I ain't sure I want to know what else that man and Uncle Jesse did to him," Daisy confessed, looking away in shame.

"Daisy honey, it's okay to feel like that, judging by Bo's injuries and his fear it won't be a pleasant story. Sweetheart, Uncle Jesse is the reason I'm here, he's starting to remember some of what happened. He don't remember much yet, but he remembers this Delbert guy and a needle. He also is starting to remember some of what he did to Bo, and a voice telling him things."

"What kind of things?" Daisy asked, curious in spite of herself.

"Like that Bo killed his folks, he hasn't remembered anything else but it's enough to tell me he was probably brainwashed. Don't you see Daisy, Uncle Jesse is as much a victim here as Bo is. Won't you please come back home? At least give Uncle Jesse a chance to explain who this Delbert guy is and why he did all of this," Luke plead with her. Waiting for her to answer, he found himself praying that she would come home. He knew in his heart that the best shot they had for healing their family, for helping Bo through this nightmare, was if they stood by each other; he just hoped Daisy would listen.

"Alright Luke, I'll listen to him, but I don't know if I'm coming home or not," Daisy finally replied.

"Thank you Daisy," Luke told her. "You want to do this now, or later?" Luke asked, getting to his feet and looking at her hopefully.

"Might as well get it over with," Daisy replied, standing up and walking outside with her cousin. Climbing back into her jeep, she waited for Luke to pull away from the curb and followed him back to the farm.

"Uncle Jesse," Luke called as he walked into the kitchen. Moving towards the living room, he stopped in the doorway watching his uncle as he sat in his rocker. Luke felt as though his heart had been ripped from his chest at the sight of Jesse sitting there, a photo album in his lap and tears streaking his face. "Uncle Jesse?" Luke called quietly, slowly moving into the room and over to his uncle's side.

"Uncle Jesse," Daisy gasped from the doorway, shocked to see her strong, capable uncle reduced to tears.

Luke's head snapped up at the sound of Daisy's voice. "Daisy, you okay?" he asked, not liking the dazed quality of her voice.

"Huh? Oh yeah, I just wasn't expecting..." moving forward, Daisy knelt on the floor next to her uncle's rocker, getting her first look at the book in his lap. "Uncle Jesse?" She quietly asked, bringing Jesse's attention away from the book and to her after the third time of calling his name.

"Daisy?" Jesse questioned, his tone a mixture of hope and disbelief. "Are ya really here?" He asked, reaching tentatively towards her and laying his hand on the top of her head, slowly moving it down to cup her cheek. "Are ya home to stay?"

"I..."

"That's okay sweetheart, I don't blame ya none," Jesse assured her.

"I am here to listen though, and maybe after that...we'll see. I'm sorry Uncle Jesse, that's the most I can offer," Daisy quietly told him.

"It's a start, thank you," Jesse replied. "I love all three of you kids, you know that right?"

"Yeah, we know that," Daisy replied for all of them.

"But, in some ways Bo was more mine than you or Luke ever were. See, you two were old enough to remember your folks. Oh I know ya don't remember a lot, but you got a few memories, good memories. Bo didn't have that, he was only three when his folks died and he doesn't remember them at all. Believe it or not, that's a good thing. I say that, because after the fire that was all Bo remembered of his folks, that night and his father dropping him out a window into a neighbor's arms. If that's the only memory he's to have of them, I say it's a kindness that he doesn't remember them. His lack of memories though is why he was more mine than you two, because I was the only father he ever knew. It gave us a closeness, something special you understand?"

"Yeah Uncle Jesse, we understand," this time it was Luke who supplied the answer.

"I remembered more while you were gone Luke," Jesse told them. "I said and did some horrible things to your cousin, things he may never be able to forgive me for. You remember I told you the other day I heard a voice saying that Bo killed his folks?"

"Yeah," Luke replied.

"Well, I know where that voice came from now. I remembered Delbert putting something in my ear, that was the voice I heard, I'm sure of it. I also...something else came to me while ya was gone. I told Bo that if he'd been alone when y'all got busted running shine, I would've let him go to prison and good riddance." Jesse told them, laying his head against the back of the rocker and closing his eyes, not wanting to see the anger in their eyes.

"Oh Uncle Jesse, how could you say that?" Daisy cried out. Her heart was breaking for her youngest cousin and what he'd been put through. How it must have hurt him to hear those words coming from Uncle Jesse? Watching her uncle cringe at her words, she suddenly saw that he was hurting too. Maybe not as much as Bo, and certainly not in the same way, but he was a victim too. "I'm sorry Uncle Jesse, I didn't mean it like that, I was just surprised."

"It's alright Daisy, I've been sitting here looking at these pictures and asking myself the same question." Jesse said, looking at her and patting her hand. " I can't help wondering what else I said to him? What else did I do to hurt him? I need to know what I did, what kind of monster did Delbert turn me into? I'm afraid to find out though, and afraid that I'll never be able to make things right with Bo," Jesse said, looking away again.

"No it's not alright Uncle Jesse!" Daisy cried out, ashamed of herself and the way she'd treated her uncle. "I know you and I should've known you would never hurt any of us without being forced to. Heck, even if you had hurt Bo all on your own, I owed you the chance to explain at least. Can you ever forgive me Uncle Jesse?" Daisy asked.

"Come here Daisy," Jesse said, drawing her to her feet and guiding her into his lap. Wrapping his arms around her, he began to slowly rock, "There ain't nothing to forgive baby. You were worried about Bo and shocked by what he'd said, it was a normal reaction. I just hope you can forgive me for what I done to your cousin," Jesse whispered against her cheek as he held her close.

"Uncle Jesse, Luke's right you're a victim too, as much as Bo is. I see that now, so there ain't nothing to forgive."

"I ain't so sure of that Daisy girl," Jesse protested.

"Well then I guess it's up to me and Luke," Daisy said, forcing a smile onto her face.

"Huh?"

"We'll just have to help you and Bo both, to forgive each other and to see that neither of you did anything wrong," Daisy explained.

"What do you mean neither of us did wrong? Why would Bo think he did something wrong?" Jesse demanded, the confusion plain to hear.

"Uncle Jesse, Bo thinks that he did something to deserve all of this. Did Luke tell you what that man had convinced Bo he'd done to me?"

"You mean that he'd raped you?"

"Yeah, and did you know that Bo thought he was being selfish because he didn't want to be raped himself? That's why he thought I hated him, though I get the feeling there's something else too that he hasn't told me. From what he said and the way he acts, I think he figures he deserved to be punished for being selfish. I'm pretty sure I convinced him that first of all I wasn't raped and second of all it wasn't selfish for him to fight back when that guy started touching him."

"Selfish? Oh Lord," Jesse whispered, horrified at the thought of what his Bo had suffered. Gently nudging Daisy from his lap, Jesse stood up and walked into his bedroom. Picking up the picture of his late wife, Jesse looked at her smiling face, not even noticing the tears that fell on the glass. "What have I done Martha? How can I ever make this up to him?" Jesse asked, desperately searching for answers. Lying down on the bed, he curled up on his side, Martha's picture clutched firmly to his chest as he drifted into an uneasy sleep.

"Does this mean you're coming home?" Luke asked, after Jesse left the room.

"Yeah," Daisy replied. "Oh Luke what are we going to do? How are we supposed to fix this?" Daisy asked, looking to her older cousin for answers, as she always had.

"I don't know Daisy, but I'll tell ya this we will find a way to heal this family. After that, I'm going to find this Delbert Penny and make sure he pays for the hurt he's caused."

"Luke, do you know why he did it? Delbert Penny I mean," Daisy asked.

"No, Uncle Jesse hasn't said yet, of course he may not know either. It doesn't really matter though, there isn't anything that could justify what he did to Bo and Uncle Jesse," Luke firmly stated.

"Of course not, I just wondered," Daisy explained.

"I know, I wonder too. Right now we've got more important things to worry about than why," Luke said. "So, do you need some help packing?"

"No thanks, I can handle it. You stay here with Uncle Jesse, I don't think he should be left alone right now," Daisy replied. Picking up her purse from the coffee table, she went back outside, got into her jeep and headed back to town.

After packing her few belongings and loading them into the jeep, Daisy headed to the local diner where Sally Jo worked.

"Hey Bo, it's about lunch time you hungry?" Cooter called towards the back of the shop where Bo was working on Mr. Lawerence's car.

"I guess so," Bo replied unsurely, as though he was afraid of getting the answer wrong.

"Well then come on, we'll go over to the diner and get us a couple of the blue plate specials," Cooter said, walking up to him and clamping an arm around Bo's shoulders.

"Tha...that's okay Cooter, you don't have to buy me lunch."

"You think I'm gonna let you work all morning and then not feed you? Shoot Bo you know my mama would've switched me good if I ever treated anybody so mean. So come on, you don't want to make me go against my mama's teachings, do ya?"

"Okay, should I wash up first?" Bo asked, finally agreeing to Cooter's offer.

"You know that's a good idea, and won't Sally Jo be surprised to see me coming in without grease on my hands? You're a good influence on me Bo," Cooter replied light-heartedly. "Why don't you wash up first, since it was your idea?"

A few minutes later the two men had cleaned up as much as they could in the limited facilities and left the garage. Walking into the diner, they headed for a corner booth. Cooter instinctively knowing that Bo wasn't ready for a lot of attention. They were still seated there thirty minutes later when Daisy walked up to Sally Jo, who was taking an order at a nearby table.

"Hey Sally Jo, could I talk to you for a second?"

"Sure Daisy, what's up?" Sally Jo asked, turning towards her friend.

"I just wanted to say thanks for your help, but I'm going back to the farm now. So here's your key and I'll see ya later, thanks for everything," Daisy said, giving her friend a quick hug.

"You sure Daisy?" Sally Jo asked, remembering how upset Daisy had been a few days ago.

"Yeah, my family needs me," Daisy answered. Giving her friend a quick wave, she turned and left the diner, never having seen Bo, hidden as he was.

"Bo? Bo, look at me buddy, you okay?" Cooter asked, concerned by the devastated look in Bo's deep blue eyes.

"She's moving home Cooter," Bo whispered, still dazed by what he'd heard and the implications.

"I heard," Cooter confirmed.

"I've lost them all, I thought after this morning that maybe...but it ain't gonna happen. Uncle Jesse must've told them all the bad things I've done and they hate me too. You'll hate me too once you know the truth," Bo told his friend, losing whatever hope he had managed to find. "Cooter, is it okay if I go back to the garage now?"

"Sure Bo, I'll be on over in a little while," Cooter replied, the little boy lost tone of Bo's voice breaking his heart in two. Watching as his younger friend trudged dejectedly across the street, shoulders slumped in defeat, Cooter prayed again for help. Walking to the register, he paid the bill and headed back to his garage and the monumental task of helping Bo to heal. Looking up he was just in time to see Bo, who was standing in front of the garage, suddenly step out in front of an oncoming car.

TBC

Okay y'all know how this work. The muse is hungry, you feed her with reviews and the muse is happy.


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I don't own the Dukes of Hazzard, not making any money, just cheap thrills.

Warnings: Angst

Rating: FRT

Italics and/or indicates thoughts

Do The Right Thing

Chapter 10

The screech of tires and the smell of burned rubber filled the air as Bob Daughtery turned the wheel hard to the right, narrowly missing Bo Duke. Slamming on the brakes, Bob threw the car in park and shakily climbed out of the car. Shaking with anger and fear, he reached Bo at almost the same time as Cooter. "You reckless pup! What in the world were you trying to prove? Do you realize you could've got yourself killed? For that matter ya could've got me killed, or somebody else. What've you got to say for yourself?" Bob yelled, firing questions at Bo and in his fury never giving him the chance to answer.

"You okay Bo?" Cooter asked, grabbing Bo's arm and guiding him back onto the sidewalk. At Bo's nod, Cooter reluctantly turned his attention to the other man. "Mr. Daughtery...Mr Daughtery!" Cooter yelled, getting the other man to notice his presence. "Are you okay sir?"

"Yeah I'm okay, no thanks to your friend here," Bob snarled the last, still scared by the near miss.

"I'm sorry about that Mr. Daughtery, and I'm sure Bo is too," Cooter tried to apologize. He understood the other man's anger all too well, he was having a fair bit of trouble controlling his own temper just now.

"He still hasn't said why he did it?" Bob observed. "I ought to call the sheriff, that's what I ought to do. He could've made me wreck, reckless young..."

"Now Mr. Daughtery there ain't hardly any need to get the sheriff over here. After all, wasn't nobody hurt, and I'm sure Bo just didn't see ya is all. You know," Cooter paused, realizing that Bo might not appreciate what he was about to say. Turning back to his friend, Cooter noticed for the first time the paleness of the younger man's face, and the slightly glassy look to his eyes. "Bo, why don't you go inside and lay down for a while."

"Nnno, I should ssstay," Bo stutteringly protested.

"Bo dang it! Would you please just do as I ask?" Cooter snapped, the fear and anger causing him to lose momentary control of his temper.

Flinching from the cold, angry tone of his friend's voice, Bo turned away and dejectedly walked inside.

"Aw hell," Cooter muttered, before turning back to Mr. Daughtery. "Look Mr. Daughtery, you know about Bo being kidnapped recently right?"

"Yeah, but what's that got to do with anything?"

"Well, ya see the thing is Bo ain't exactly been himself lately. I doubt he even knew you were there," Cooter lied, having a bad feeling about what had just happened. "Could ya please just cut him a break and leave the sheriff out of it?"

"Well I suppose I could, as you say he's not himself and probably didn't see me. You might want to keep a closer eye on him though Cooter, next time he might not be so lucky." Bob turned away and walked back to his car.

Heaving a sigh of relief, Cooter headed inside, and for a long talk with Bo. "Bo?" Cooter called, as he climbed the ladder into the loft. Pulling himself into the loft space above the garage, his anger was pushed to the side as he saw Bo lying on the bed. "Bo, ya okay?"

Nodding his head, Bo kept his back to Cooter and gave no other answer.

"Ya sure?"

Again, Bo nodded his head but refused to speak, sure he would lose control and start crying again if he did. _You're an idiot Bo Duke. Can't even manage to kill yourself right, no wonder Uncle Jesse hates ya. You destroy everything ya touch, the world really would be better off without ya. _Bo silently scolded himself, feeling almost as worthless as he had during the beatings.

"Bo, would you say something please?"

"I'm sorry," Bo spoke so softly, Cooter had to strain to hear him.

"You want to tell me why?"

"No," Bo replied.

"Bo..."

"I just...I thought that maybe there was a chance to keep Daisy's love, but now..."

"Now what?"

"You heard her Cooter, she's going back home. Uncle Jesse must've told her all the bad things I've done and now she knows he was right to punish me."

"Tell me," Cooter said. He smiled sadly when Bo looked at him in confusion, knowing that the old Bo would've caught on quickly to what he meant.

"Tell you?"

"You keep saying you did bad things, tell me what you did."

"I can't Cooter, I couldn't stand it if you hated me too," Bo whispered brokenly.

"Bo, I don't know what you think you did, but I ain't gonna hate ya. Fact is, nobody hates you and I know you haven't ever done anything that could make what happened to you okay."

"How do ya know that Cooter? Maybe I did stuff you just didn't know about," Bo protested.

"Then tell me," Cooter demanded. "I won't hate you, scout's honor," Cooter promised again when Bo still hesitated.

"I kkkkkilled my ffffolks," Bo finally confessed, refusing to look at Cooter, sure he'd see hatred and disgust in his friend's eyes.

"No you didn't Bo, your folks were killed in a housefire."

"That I started, Uncle Jesse said that I played with matches and started the fire. He said that my daddy and his wife, and my baby sister, all burned alive, and I just watched ."

"Bo that's not true," Cooter firmly told him.

"How do you know that? Were you there?"

"No, but I remember my folks talking about that fire. I was eight years old at the time, and I heard my folks talking about the lightening that hit y'all's house. I also remember them saying your daddy threw you out the window to a neighbor, but before him or your mama could get out the roof fell in. Wait a minute," Cooter suddenly paused as he registered the rest of what Bo had said. "Bo, what did you mean your daddy's wife? And what baby sister? You didn't have a sister Bo."

"Yes I did, Uncle Jesse said so," Bo insisted. "He also said that Becky wasn't my mama. My mama died having me, and then I killed the rest of my family three years later."

"Bo, that just isn't so, please believe me. You know that Luke was already living with your Uncle Jesse and Aunt Martha by then don't ya?"

"Yeah."

"I was over there all the time Bo, in fact you and your folks were there just a couple of days before the fire. Now you don't suppose they'd leave a baby all alone do ya?"

"No, guess not," Bo admitted.

"No they wouldn't, and the only kid they had with them was you. Trust me Bo, ya didn't have a baby sister. Far as I know Becky was your mama and I know you didn't start the fire."

"Maybe you're remembering wrong about what your folks said," Bo suggested, not sure who to believe.

"Nah, I know I'm not. I'll tell ya a secret Bo, for the next year after that and every now and then for several years; I'd climb into bed with my folks every time there was a storm. That's how I know I'm remembering it right, cause it scared the bejeeesus out of me."

"Really?" Bo asked, wanting desperately to believe Cooter, but not understanding why Uncle Jesse would've lied to him.

"Yes really," Cooter assured him. "Alright, now what else are you suppose to have done?"

"He said I killed Aunt Martha," Bo finally answered.

"Now Bo you know that ain't so, your Aunt Martha had a stroke," Cooter reminded him.

"I know, but if Uncle Jesse had been home he could've got her to the doctor. So see it's my fault she died."

"Bo do you remember after the funeral going down to the creek with me and Luke?"

"Yeah, I think so," Bo replied. He'd been pretty out of it that day, thinking it was his fault that Aunt Martha died and wishing he could bring her back.

"Well I remember it real good. I remember you breaking down in Luke's arms and telling him that it was your fault she was dead. You thought that if Jesse had been there he could've taken her to the hospital in time. That was when Luke told you that he'd heard the doctor say that even if your uncle had been standing next to her, she would've died. That stroke she had was so massive that it killed her almost instantly, there ain't no way it was your fault."

"Cooter, if what you say is true, why did he lie?" Bo asked, not sure that finding out his uncle had abused him for no reason was better or worse than the guilt he'd been carrying.

"I don't know, but I'm thinking that Delbert fella maybe forced him to do all the stuff he did."

"But he wasn't even in the room and Uncle Jesse wasn't chained up or anything," Bo told him.

"Well I ain't got all the details, but I know someone who has more of them. Bo, would you be willing to talk to Luke?"

"I don't know if I can Cooter," Bo honestly replied.

"Why not?"

"What if Uncle Jesse was telling the truth about Luke hating me?"

"Bo, I've already showed ya a couple of lies he told, now what makes ya think anything else was true? Besides, isn't it better to know for sure?"

"I...I guess I could talk to him, but where?"

"Out at the farm tonight, or I can have him come into town now. I'm sure he'd be willing to talk to you wherever and whenever you want."

"Does it have to be today?"

"No, but I think the sooner the better," Cooter told him.

"Can I think about it for a little while?"

"Sure Bo, of course. Tell ya what, why don't you go ahead and get some rest while I'm downstairs. You just let me know later what you decide," Cooter answered. Patting Bo's leg, Cooter stood up and headed back to the ladder, silently cursing Delbert Penny and the pain he'd caused. He couldn't help wondering if he should be including Jesse Duke in those curses too.

Upstairs lying in the bed, Bo began to wonder what was true and what was a lie. He wanted to believe Cooter when he said that Bo hadn't done anything wrong. Lord knew he did, but if he didn't do anything wrong, then why had Uncle Jesse claimed he had? Why had he beaten him and burned him? Why had he said such ugly things to him? Why had he insisted that Luke and Daisy hated Bo too? None of it made any sense. As he lay there, trying to make sense of it all and wondering if he should talk to Luke like Cooter suggested, Bo slowly drifted into an uneasy sleep.

Laying on the roof near an open skylight, Delbert Penny had listened as the two younger men talked. He hadn't been able to hear every word that was spoken, but he'd heard enough. What he heard, he didn't like either. "That damn grease monkey is going to ruin everything," Delbert whispered to himself. When he saw Cooter leaving the loft and going back down the ladder, Delbert had stayed put watching Bo Duke. Finally the boy fell asleep, and Delbert made his move. Carefully lowering himself into the room below, he crept over to the bed and began to whisper in Bo's ear. "You're worthless, ya destroy everything and every one you get near. Luke hates you, he's always hated ya. He never wanted to be your friend, Martha made him. You're the reason he joined the Marines. He could've been killed and that would've been your fault too. We all would've been better off if you'd died at birth," Delbert said, pitching his voice so that he sounded as much like Jesse as possible.

_Bo suddenly found himself back in that warehouse, his uncle standing over him with a long piece of rough rope in his hands. _ _"You're worthless, ya destroy everything and every one you get near. Luke hates you, he's always hated ya. He never wanted to be your friend, Martha made him. You're the reason he joined the Marines. He could've been killed and that would've been your fault too. We all would've been better off if you'd died at birth." Desperately Bo tried to escape his uncle's words, the rope beating against Bo's skin, as a cruel puncuation to each word. _

_"No Uncle Jesse please, it ain't true. Cooter told me you lied," Bo protested._

_"Cooter's the one that lied to you boy. You know I can't believe I raised such a stupid youngin."_

_"No, please don't say that," Bo begged._

_"Why not? It's the truth and you know it."_

_"No, it's not true, not true."_

_"It is true, Cooter lied and soon he'll hate you as much as the rest of us."_

_"No...no...not Cooter, Nooooooooooooo!" _

Bo jerked awake, eyes wide with fear and a scream dying on his lips.

The moment Bo's movements became more restless, Delbert had headed for the skylight. Luckily for him, by the time Bo woke up screaming, he was already under the opening to the roof. Scrambling as quickly as he could, Delbert just managed to pull himself to the roof as Cooter appeared at the top of the ladder.

"Bo! It's okay Bo, calm down now," Cooter soothed, taking the younger man in his arms and doing his best to comfort him. "Shhh, it's okay now...better?" Cooter asked when he felt Bo beginning to relax in his arms.

"Yeah, sorry didn't mean to scream. I didn't scare any customers off did I?"

"Nah, ain't nobody down there but me and Mr. MacInnis and he's deaf as a post," Cooter assured him. "Besides it ain't your fault ya had a nightmare, ya want to tell me about it?"

"Not really, but I got a feeling you ain't letting me get away with that," Bo said with a small chuckle.

"Nope, so tell me about it," Cooter softly encouraged.

"Not much to tell really, I was back in that warehouse and Uncle Jesse was beating me. He kept saying that Luke hated me. He said that Aunt Martha had made Luke be my friend and he joined the Marines to get away from me. Then he said that you were gonna end up hating me too," Bo reluctantly told his friend.

"Oh Bo, you know ain't none of that true," Cooter told him. "For one thing, your Aunt Martha died when Luke was fifteen. So why would he have kept being your friend if she was making him?"

"That's true, I hadn't thought of that," Bo admitted.

"Bo, was that just in your dream or did Jesse really say that kind of stuff?"

"He said it for real," Bo replied.

"You know it ain't true, don't ya?"

"No, dang it Cooter I want to believe ya. I really do, but I just don't know what to believe anymore," Bo admitted, his voice thick with unshed tears.

"Aw Bo, man I'd really like to get my hands on that Penny fella," Cooter growled, once again wrapping his arms around Bo.

"Cooter? I know you want me to talk to Luke, but I ain't ready for it today. Would it be okay if I talk to him later, maybe?" Bo asked, his voice small and fearful. "I'll talk to him today if you really want me to," he offered in a rush, worried suddenly that his dream would come true.

"Bo, you ain't got to talk to Luke or anybody else until you're ready. And Bo, please quit worrying about making me mad, I ain't gonna hate ya."

"I'll try Cooter," Bo replied in a slightly stronger voice.

"That's all I can ask buddyro," Cooter told him, ruffling Bo's hair with one hand. "Ya know, you slept a while and I'm not really busy, so how about we head on home?"

"It's okay Cooter, we can stay here if you still got work."

"Nah, I'm at a stopping point, so come on. If ya play your cards right, maybe I'll stop at the bakery and pick up an apple pie for dessert," Cooter lightly teased.

Smiling at the thought, Bo pushed himself to his feet. Carding his fingers through his hair, he straightened the sleep mussed curls as best he could. Following Cooter down the ladder, he suppressed a shudder as he stepped outside and saw the skid marks on the street.

"Come on Bo, sooner we get to the bakery the sooner we can get home," Cooter called when he saw where Bo was looking.

"Yeah, coming," Bo replied, turning away from the black marks and striding towards Cooter's truck. Climbing inside, he turned his head to the side, deliberately avoiding looking at the street. _Thank you Lord for giving me such a good friend. I know I don't deserve him, and I'll always be grateful to you for putting it into his heart to stand by me. Lord, I want to believe him, but it's so hard to know what to believe. Help me please, show me the way to go. Thank you Lord, Amen. _Bo silently prayed as the pick-up rumbled down the street.

TBC

Okay, here we are again. The end of another chapter and the muse is once again asking for reviews. Please make the muse happy.


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I don't own the Dukes of Hazzard, not making any money, just cheap thrills.

Warnings: Angst

Rating: FRT

Italics and/or indicates thoughts/dreams

Do The Right Thing

Chapter 11

_The sound of someone sobbing drew him down the hallway. Finally, he reached a door and pushed it open. "Bo?" Jesse asked of the figure curled up in a fetal position on the floor. Receiving no answer, he slowly moved forward into the room. Suddenly an unseen force pressed him against a wall as the door again opened and he saw himself step into the room. Jesse watched in horrified fascination as his double walked over to the figure on the floor. _

_"Well boy what am I gonna do with you now? How should I punish you this time?" his double asked, kicking the other man in the small of the back._

_"Please Uncle Jesse don't," the man begged, rolling to his back so that Jesse saw it was Bo._

_"Don't? You think you deserve mercy after all you've done?" _

_"I...no," Bo answered, his voice subdued with defeat._

_"Damn right you don't," Jesse agreed, as a rope suddenly appeared in his hand and he began to beat Bo with it._

_The sounds of Bo's screams and Jesse's laughter echoed through the room, nearly drowning out the laughter of another man. In the blink of an eye, Jesse found himself in another room, where a third man stood watching as Jesse beat Bo. Again he was pinned to the wall, unable to stop the events from playing out. He watched as his double left Bo sobbing in pain and returned to this room. Jesse saw himself led to a chair and handcuffed to it only moments before he passed out. _

_Another eye blink and he somehow knew several hours had passed. He saw his double open his eyes, and stare in horror at the sight of his nephew lying in the next room. "Bo! What have you done to him?" His double demanded of the other man in the room._

_"I haven't done anything to him Jesse, you did."_

_"No, it couldn't have been me," his double protested._

_"It was, and it will be again, thanks to this," the other man replied, holding up a syringe._

_"What is that?" _

_"I done told you before Jesse, it's Ketamine. This is how I get my revenge for what you and your brother did to me." Reaching down, the man pressed the needle into a vein and forced the ketamine into Jesse's body. Turning away from Jesse, his face was finally seen by the unseen Jesse._

_"Delbert Penny! No, don't hurt my boy anymore," Jesse plead uselessly. Unseen and unheard by the others in the room, Jesse was forced to watch as his double was released from the chair and returned to torment Bo. As Bo screamed in pain and fear, Jesse began to scream with him..." _

Jolting awake from the nightmare, Jesse wasn't aware when Luke and Daisy came running into his room. He had no idea they were there, until Luke began to shake him as he desperately called his name. "Luke? Daisy?" He asked, confused by their presence in his room. "What are y'all doing in here?"

"You were screaming Uncle Jesse, must've been having a nightmare," Luke told him.

"Yeah I was, sorry about waking ya up," Jesse apologized, shuddering at the images from his dream.

"You want to talk about it?" Luke asked, noticing the way his uncle was shaking.

"I remember what happened," Jesse replied. "In the dream, I was back in that warehouse. I saw what I did to Bo, and I saw Penny giving me that drug. I ain't sure how it works, but after that drug took hold it was like I wasn't even there. I watched me hurting Bo and saying horrible things to him, but I could hear Delbert's voice in the background saying the same stuff."

"Uncle Jesse, this guy did all of this for revenge right?" Daisy quietly asked.

"Yeah that's right," Jesse replied.

"Well what exactly did he want revenge for?"

"I was afraid you'd ask that. I never wanted any of you kids to know about this, it wasn't something I was proud of ya understand. Ya see, Delbert Penny used to run moonshine a long time ago. The problem was Delbert didn't use good equipment and because of that his moonshine was nothin' but poison. It had made a lot of people sick and a few died, the ATF was really wanting to catch whoever was behind the moonshine that was causing it. Your Uncle Jeremy and me we found out it was Delbert and we went to talk to him. Told him what was happening and that he needed to get some better equipment, proper equipment. He just laughed, asked us why he should care if them fools didn't have any more sense than to keep buying shine even when it was killing folks. He refused to do anything to stop the sickness and death, said it would cost too much to fix it. So me and Jeremy we went to the ATF, we told them who was making the bad shine and where to find him. We also told them we would testify if we had to about what Delbert had said."

"Uncle Jesse! I can't believe you broke the code," Luke said, shocked by what he was hearing.

"Well I did! Like I said I wasn't proud of it, went against everything I knew to turn in a fellow moonshiner. But I had to, he was putting out poison and killing people, it was the right thing to do. Upshot of it is, the ATF caught him and after making a deal he was sentenced to twenty years in prison. Now he's out and he wants revenge against me and Jeremy," Jesse explained, refusing to look at his kids as he spoke.

"That's why he went after Bo, cause Jeremy is dead so he went after his son," Luke spoke up, it all starting to make sense.

"Yeah," Jesse confirmed Luke's suspicion.

"Do you think he'll try anything else?"

"I honestly don't know what he has planned. I'd be willing to bet though that he's still in the area, watching this family falling apart."

"You're probably right," Luke agreed. "Uncle Jesse, what do you suppose this guy would do if he thought we weren't falling apart?"

"I ain't sure Luke, but he wouldn't like it I'm sure. Why you asking about that though?"

"I'm just thinking what if we can convince him that you and Bo are healing? I'm wondering if he might try something and we can catch him. At least then we could focus on fixing our family without worrying about what Delbert Penny might do," Luke explained.

"Well how are ya gonna do that Luke? Bo won't even speak to me or you?" Jesse asked.

"I'm not sure yet, but I do know that talking to Bo is the first step. I'll call Cooter as soon as chores are finished in the morning, see if he can convince Bo to talk to me."

"Alright, well in the meantime I suppose we'd better all try to get some more sleep," Jesse said.

"Yes sir," Daisy and Luke both replied. After saying goodnight to their uncle, they left his bedroom and returned to their own rooms.

"Hello," Cooter answered the phone shortly after breakfast.

"Hey Cooter, how's Bo doing?"

"Hey Luke, he's getting better but he's still got a ways to go," Cooter replied.

"I really need to talk to him Cooter, do you think he'd be willing?"

"I know he would, we talked about it last night and this morning he said he wanted to see you."

"Thank God for that," Luke replied, relieved and taking it as a good sign that the day was starting so well. "When do you think I could come over?"

"Just a minute Luke," Cooter replied. Laying down the phone, he walked back into the kitchen where Bo was still sitting at the table. "Bo, I know you heard me talking to Luke," Cooter began.

"Yeah, does he want to see me?" Bo asked, figuring that was what Cooter was going to tell him next.

"Do you feel like you could handle it?"

"I ain't sure, but I need to try," Bo replied.

"Well he wants to know when he could come over," Cooter told him. "Bo, this is up to you but if you want to see him this morning, I got no problem with opening the garage late."

"Thanks Cooter, I guess there isn't gonna be any time that's good really. Might as well get it over with, could you see if he can come over now?"

"Sure thing Bo," Cooter answered, going back to the phone and giving Luke the good news.

"That's great Cooter, I'll be over in a few minutes," Luke said.

"Luke you need to know that Bo's still pretty skittish and unsure," Cooter cautioned his friend.

"Understood buddy," Luke replied, "See ya soon, bye."

Bo sat at the kitchen table, nervously tapping the surface with his fingers while he waited. In what seemed entirely too soon, he heard the General pulling into Cooter's drive.

"Luke, how ya doing?" Cooter greeted.

"I'm okay Cooter. Uh, where's..."

"Bo's in the kitchen, I'll just be out here if y'all need anything," Cooter told him.

"Thanks," Luke said, patting Cooter on the shoulder as he walked past him. Taking a deep breath, he opened the back door and stepped inside his friend's kitchen. "Bo, how you doing?"

"Lllllluke," Bo greeted nervously, hating that he couldn't keep the stutter from his voice. "I'm okay," he replied to his cousin's question.

"It okay if I sit down?" Luke asked, pulling out a chair as he spoke.

"I guess," Bo answered, looking down at the table top.

"It's good to see you," Luke said. "Damn...Bo would you please look at me?"

For several minutes Bo kept looking at the table, finally he found the nerve to look up. "You really mean that don't you?" Bo asked, sounding surprised.

"Of course I do, I love you cousin, we all do," Luke sincerely replied, reaching out to pat Bo's hand.

"Uncle Jesse doesn't."

"Yes he does Bo, I promise. Bo when we found you and Uncle Jesse he was unconscious. When we got you both to the hospital, Dr. Appleby found ketamine in Jesse's blood."

"What's that?"

"It's a drug that the doctor says causes hallunications and violent nightmares. It also leaves ya open to suggestion, we think this Delbert Penny used it to brainwash Uncle Jesse. Bo, all the things that Uncle Jesse said to you came from this Delbert Penny."

"That doesn't make any sense Luke, Delbert said he'd been in prison for twenty years. How would he know about the stuff that Uncle Jesse talked about?"

"Bo, I don't know everything Uncle Jesse said to you, but Delbert could have made a lot of stuff up completely."

"I guess, but how would he know about my folk's dying in a fire? Or about Aunt Martha dying of a stroke? Uncle Jesse talked about you joining the Marines too, and about you not really wanting to be around me. Then there was the stuff about when we got caught running moonshine and the deal he made with the government. How would Delbert know about all that stuff?"

"Bo I know you've had a really hard time of it, but stop and think about it for a minute. All he had to do is look through the old newspapers and he'd know about your folks and Aunt Martha. Didn't the paper print something about me when I came home from the Marines and if he watched us for a while he'd know we were close. When we got caught they wrote an article about that too, so he could've found out about all of those things easily. Anything else he could've suggested to Jesse and with the ketamine influencing him he couldn't fight against it," Luke explained.

"Luke, when we were kids, why did you hang out with me?" Bo asked, seemingly changing the subject.

"What? Well at first it was more like babysitting I guess, ya know just looking out for you while Aunt Martha and Uncle Jesse were doing chores. Then you started getting older and you were able to do more and more stuff, that's when it started being more fun. I don't know if it was just from being around each other all the time, but the older you got the more we had in common. Bo, why are ya asking me this?"

"And when you joined the Marines, why did you?"

"Bo what is this all about?" Luke asked, getting confused.

"Please Luke, just tell me," Bo plead.

"Okay Bo, well they were drafting young guys left and right, I figured it wasn't gonna be long until they drafted me. You know my dad was in the Marines and I figured if I was gonna get drafted anyway I might as well choose where I'd be. Now will you tell me why you're asking this stuff."

"It was lies," Bo whispered, still not answering Luke's question.

"Bo?"

"Uncle Jesse said that you joined the Marines to get away from me. He said you hated me and was only ever friends cause Aunt Martha made you. Last night Cooter asked me if that were true why did you keep it up after she died?"

"So now you know that when Uncle Jesse said I hated you it was a lie?"

"Yeah, just like what Delbert said about Daisy was a lie. Maybe the other stuff was too," Bo said, the hope clear in his voice and eyes.

"It was Bo, all of it was lies," Luke assured him.

"But that doesn't mean Uncle Jesse doesn't hate me," Bo said, surprising Luke.

"Bo, I told you though it wasn't really Uncle Jesse saying that stuff, it was Delbert. He brainwashed Uncle Jesse and made him do all those things to you."

"I want to believe you Luke, I really do, but how am I supposed to trust Uncle Jesse again?" Bo asked, looking at Luke with such deep pain in his eyes that it nearly took Luke's breath away.

"I don't know Bo, but are you at least willing to try?"

"How does Uncle Jesse feel about it?"

"He's hurting, now that he's remembering what happened he feels horrible for what he did to you. He wants you to heal, he wants his family back together. He loves you Bo, he always has," Luke assured his younger cousin.

"So what now?"

"I don't suppose you're ready to move back home?"

"I...no I don't think I can yet," Bo admitted, hoping Luke wouldn't hear the fear in his voice.

"It's okay, I didn't really think you would. Do you think you're up to a little shuck 'n jive to catch Delbert?"

"What have ya got in mind?" Bo asked, giving Luke a genuine smile and for a second sounding like the old Bo.

"Well it looks like he did all of this to destroy the Duke family, that's his way of getting revenge. Now what do ya suppose he'd do if he thought he'd failed?"

"How ya gonna convince him of that?"

"That's where you come in Bo. I know you're not ready to come home, but do ya think you could handle a day or two at the farm?"

"What? No, Luke I cccan't," Bo replied, the feeling of fear overwhelming him.

"Bo, I'm not talking about moving back for real, just a couple of days to draw Penny out into the open. I'll stay with you the whole time, I promise nobody is going to hurt you again."

"What else would I have to do, besides stay at the farm?"

"Well I figure this guy is probably watching, it's the only thing that makes sense. Why do all of this if he's not gonna stay around to enjoy the results? So you and Uncle Jesse would have to act normal around each other whenever you're outside. I'm hoping that if he thinks his plan failed, Penny will come out of hiding and attack Uncle Jesse in the open. That's when we'll get him and send him back to prison for kidnapping and assault."

"I don't know if I can handle it Luke, would it be okay if I think about it for a couple of days?"

"Sure cousin, you take whatever time you need," Luke replied.

"Ya really think it'll work?"

"I can't read this guy's mind, but yeah I think it will."

"What about Uncle Jesse? If Penny gets charged for assault, wouldn't Uncle Jesse too?"

"That'd be up to you Bo, is that what you want?"

"No, I don't know for sure if Uncle Jesse was drugged or if he really meant what he said and did. I want to believe you, and it does make sense I'll admit. The only thing I know for sure is that I don't want to be the first Duke in history to send another Duke to prison, so no I won't press charges against Uncle Jesse."

"Good, I wish you felt that way because you know he's a victim too, maybe someday you'll believe it. What about us Bo, are we okay?"

"Did Uncle Jesse tell you the stuff that he said I did?"

"Some of it, what he remembers anyway. Why?"

"Do you think I did those things?"

"I know you didn't," Luke firmly replied, leaving no doubt that he belived what he said.

"You don't hate me?" Bo asked, afraid he would make Luke mad, but needing the reassurance.

"No Bo, I love you like a brother, I could never hate you," Luke spoke, his voice thick with emotion.

"Then I guess we're okay," Bo told him with a small smile. Standing up, he reached for Luke's hand and pulled him to his feet. Hesitantly at first and then with more confidence, he wrapped his arms around his older cousin. For the second time since his kidnapping, the first being with Daisy, he felt a small piece of himself fall back into place. "I love you Luke," Bo whispered.

"I love you too Bo," Luke whispered in return. As he returned his youngest cousin's hug, Luke couldn't help hoping that someday soon Bo would be back with his family where he belonged.

TBC

Thanks for all the great reviews, hope y'all like this chapter. Please feed the muse with reviews.


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I don't own the Dukes of Hazzard, not making any money, just cheap thrills

Warnings: Angst, OOC(Out of Character), Violence

Rating: FRT

Italics and/or indicates thoughts

Do The Right Thing

Chapter 12

"Duke farm, Luke speaking," he answered the phone three days later. Luke nearly dropped the phone in surprise when he heard Bo's voice coming through the line.

"Lllluke, I ain't sure yet, but could ya come to the garage? Bring Uncle Jesse with ya," Bo continued, before Luke could answer.

"Yeah! Sure I can Bo," Luke responded enthusiastically. "Ya want us to come now?"

"I think you better, 'fore I lose my nerve," Bo replied with a nervous chuckle.

"We'll be there in two shakes cousin," Luke replied. After saying good-bye, he hung up the phone and hurried outside to find his uncle.

"Uncle Jesse!" Luke called as he came outside.

"What is it Luke?" Jesse asked, coming out of the barn still carrying the baby goat he'd been tending to.

Luke ran over to where his uncle stood, "Bo called, he wants us to come to Cooter's garage."

"Us? As in me and you?" Jesse asked, hardly daring to believe that his youngest wanted to see him.

"Yep, so come on," Luke replied, taking the goat from Jesse's arms and carrying it back into the barn. Coming back out of the barn, he was surprised to see his uncle standing where he'd left him. "Uncle Jesse, you okay?"

"What?" Jesse asked, startling slightly as he came out of his dazed state. "Sorry, guess I got a little lost for a second," he explained. "Well, come on we don't want to keep Bo waiting," Jesse said, turning away and walking to the pick-up.

"Yes sir," Luke replied, a huge grin spreading across his face as he hurried to join his uncle.

After a ride that seemed to take forever but was really only a few minutes long, they arrived at Cooter's garage. When they pulled up in front of the garage, Luke opened the door and climbed out. He'd taken several steps towards the interior, when he realized that he was alone. Looking back at the pick-up, he watched his uncle sitting in the cab, gripping the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white. Sadly he walked back to the truck and leaned against the door, "Uncle Jesse, you coming?"

"I don't know if I can," Jesse whispered, never loosening his grip on the steering wheel. "I know Bo said for me to come, but what if he gets upset when he sees me?"

"Well, like you'd tell us, ya won't know until ya try," Luke said, feeling strange giving advice to his uncle.

Jesse looked at his nephew, suprise showing clearly in his eyes. "Boy that's just not right, using a man's words against him," Jesse grumbled, as he climbed out of the truck.

"Yes sir," Luke replied, his quiet chuckle growing to louder laughter when Jesse began to chuckle with him. Throwing one arm over his uncle's shoulders, Luke quietly moved them inside.

"Hey Cooter, how you doing?" Luke asked, looking around the garage, hoping to see his cousin.

"I'm okay Luke. Bo's upstairs, he'll be down in a few minutes," Cooter supplied.

"Oh," Luke said, disappointed that Bo wasn't waiting on them.

"He's just nervous Luke, don't worry he ain't gonna run off or nothing."

"I hope not Cooter."

"How you doing Uncle Jesse?" Cooter asked.

"Huh? Oh I'm fine Cooter," Jesse replied, so nervous he didn't even correct Cooter as he normally would.

"That's good," Cooter said, sharing a look of concern with Luke.

The next several minutes were spent in awkward silence, as the three men waited for Bo to come downstairs. The waiting was wearing on their nerves, and just as Jesse felt as though he couldn't take anymore, Bo began to climb down the ladder.

"Hi Luke," Bo greeted, a small smile on his lips.

"Hey Bo," Luke replied, returning the smile.

Taking a deep breath, Bo turned towards his uncle. "Hi Uncle Jjjjesse," Bo barely managed.

"Bo," Jesse greeted, the frightened look in Bo's eyes breaking his heart. "I can't tell you how sorry I am Bo..."

"Luke said you were drugged?" Bo asked, interrupting his uncle. Unconsciously he cringed away from his uncle when he realized what he had done.

"That's true, I know you ain't got any reason to believe me right now Bo, but it's true. That ain't no excuse though. I just hope someday you can forgive me for the pain I caused you," Jesse said, his own eyes shining with pain.

"I don't know Uncle Jesse, but I'm trying," Bo honestly replied. "Luke you said you want me to move back to the farm?" Bo asked, turning back to his cousin.

"Yeah, at least for a few days. I'm thinking that if Delbert Penny sees you and Jesse getting along, it'll make him mad. I hope it's enough to get him to come out in the open where we can grab him."

"What if it doesn't work? How long do you expect to keep this act up?" Bo asked.

"I guess for as long as you can," Luke told him, hoping that Bo could handle this.

"So I move back to the farm and at least when I'm outside try to act normal?"

"Exactly, then when Penny makes a move on you or Uncle Jesse we'll grab him," Luke explained.

"We?"

"Believe it or not, Rosco has agreed to either him, Enos or Cletus being at the farm to help catch Penny. They'll stay hid out in the house, always out of sight so Penny won't know they're there. We figured each of them could spend a day and night, Cooter can sneak one out each day and give the other a ride to town. Trust me Bo, I got it worked out," Luke said, stepping forward and gripping Bo's arm as a gesture of support.

"Of course I trust your plan Luke, you always have good plans. I just hope it doesn't take too long to work," Bo told him. "So, I guess I should just ride back to the farm with you and Uncle Jesse?"

"Well that would probably work best, but you don't have to," Luke replied.

"No, if we're gonna make this work I'll do what I have to."

"Okay then, Cooter could you let Rosco know and bring one of them out in a bit, along with Bo's things."

"No need to bring my things Luke, I got them here with me."

"Alright, well you ready then?"

"As I'll ever be," Bo replied, not looking at Uncle Jesse, hating to see the hurt in his eyes and fearing he would see anger. "Cooter, thanks for everything, I really appreciate it," Bo told the mechanic, surprising the man with a quick hug. Stepping back, Bo picked up his bag and followed Luke and Uncle Jesse to the truck.

Letting Luke climb into the cab, Bo waited for him to scoot into the middle before climbing in himself. Forcing himself to take deep breaths, he plastered a smile on his face for the benefit of any audience. The moment they were outside of town, the smile left Bo's face as he fought to maintain control of his emotions.

Forty-five minutes after they arrived back at the farm, Cooter pulled up in his tow truck. Parking the truck as close to the back door as possible, he smiled as Enos clumsily snuck from the bed of the truck and into the farmhouse. Climbing out of the cab, Cooter walked inside, keeping an eye for any sign of Delbert Penny as he walked. Shutting the door behind him, he saw Enos and Luke sitting at the kitchen table, but there was no sign of Bo or Uncle Jesse. "Hey Luke, where's Bo and Uncle Jesse?"

"Bo's in our room and Uncle Jesse's out in the barn. I hope I didn't make a mistake with this Cooter, you know they didn't say a word to each other all the way home. Hell I could barely get them to talk to me, either one of them," Luke told him, sighing heavily and leaning his chin on his clasped hands.

"I know it's hard Luke, but ya got to do something. Catching Penny might not fix everything, but at least it would be one less thing to worry about. They'll get through this, they're both strong you know that," Cooter assured his friend.

"I hope so. Anyway thanks for bringing Enos out, I guess you should come back a little later tommorrow to pick him up and drop Rosco off. If Penny is watching, he might get suspicious if you're here at the same time every day."

"You got a point there buddyro, so I'll be out about an hour later tommorrow, that be okay?"

"Perfect, thanks Cooter and not just for this..."

"You're welcome Luke, but you ain't got to thank me, that's what friends are for. Well I better get going, don't want to make anybody suspicious," Cooter said, turning to the door and going back outside.

"Enos make yourself at home, I think I'll go check on Bo if you don't mind?" Luke asked a few minutes after Cooter left.

"Of course I don't, I'll be fine Luke you go on," Enos encouraged, nearly as worried about Bo as Luke was.

"Bo? How you doing cousin?" Luke asked, stepping into their shared room and moving to sit on his cousin's bed.

"Scared, Luke I don't know if I can do this," Bo confessed.

"Bo I know you're scared, but you want to catch this guy don't ya?"

"Sure I do Luke, what kind of fool question is that?" Bo snapped, for a second sounding like the old Bo. Then the anger left him, once again replaced by the fear that had become a part of him. "But what if you're wrong? What if Uncle Jesse...?"

"Bo I'm not wrong, Uncle Jesse was drugged and brainwashed. I know you're still not sure about him though and I will be with you or nearby all the time. I promise, I won't let Uncle Jesse or Delbert Penny hurt you again." Luke told him, wrapping one hand around the back of Bo's neck and drawing him forward until their foreheads touched. "Have I ever broken a promise to you?"

"No, but..."

"Uh-uh, I ain't never broke a promise and I'm not gonna start now. So what do you say? You up to getting this show on the road?"

"How?"

"We go outside and if you see Uncle Jesse ya act like you always have."

"I can try," Bo replied.

"That's all any of us can ask," Luke said, stepping away and giving Bo room to get up.

For the rest of that day, Bo spent as much time as possible indoors and out of sight. He passed as much time as he could helping Daisy with the household chores, avoiding his uncle most of the day. He wanted Delbert Penny caught as much as any of them, but it took every bit of strength he had to act normal. Every time he was outside and Uncle Jesse was nearby, he wanted nothing more than to run inside and hide, but he couldn't, not if they were going to catch Penny. At supper none of them had much appetite, and both Bo and Uncle Jesse seemed to be seeing who could eat the smallest amount. As soon as supper was over, Bo excused himself and went to his bedroom, followed by Luke.

"You okay Bo?"

"Yeah, just tired," Bo replied.

"It has been a long day, I think maybe I'll go to bed too."

"No! I'm sorry Luke," Bo quickly said, cringing as though he expected to be hit.

"It's alright Bo, but why don't you want me to go to bed? You ain't planning to leave are ya?"

"No, nothing like that. I just need some time alone, and I know you ain't ready for bed. Dang it! I hate this, you shouldn't be feeling like you have to babysit me." Bo growled, turning away from Luke and staring out the window.

"Aw Bo, I don't feel like that, I just don't want you to be scared. And I did promise that I'd be here to keep you safe," Luke reminded him.

"Yeah, you did. It's okay though Luke, I really would like to be alone."

"Alright, if you're sure. If ya change you're mind, I'll be in the living room," Luke said, moving towards the door and pulling it open.

"Thanks Luke," Bo replied, turning slightly to watch his cousin leaving the room.

"How is he?" Jesse asked when Luke came back to the living room.

"He's okay, just wanted some time alone," Luke answered.

"You sure? Ya ain't hiding anything from me are ya?"

"No sir, I'm not hiding anything. That's what he said, he wants some time alone," Luke repeated.

"Then that's what he gets," Jesse said, willing to do whatever Bo needed if it would bring his nephew back to them.

When Luke came into the bedroom a few hours later, he was relieved to see Bo lying in his bed asleep. Quietly getting ready for bed, Luke was soon in his own bed and ready for sleep. Turning off the lamp between the beds, Luke lay down and was soon sleeping soundly.

Bo lay in his own bed, his back turned to Luke, doing his best to keep his breathing even. He had tried to sleep, but quickly discovered that it was impossible. Bo didn't want to keep Luke from getting the rest he needed though, so when he heard Luke coming down the hall, he had laid down and closed his eyes. When Luke's breathing evened out and Bo was sure he was asleep, he carefully sat up in the bed. With his back against the headboard, he drew his knees up to his chest and spent the night staring at the door, terrified that every sound was his uncle coming to punish him. He believed Luke when he said that Uncle Jesse had been drugged, but that was in his head. His heart was having a much harder time believing it, no matter how hard he tried to see the uncle he had always known, he couldn't. All day, whenever he had been near Jesse, he had only seen the monster in that warehouse. The man who told him he was hated by his whole family, who told him what a horrible person he was. Whenever he looked at his uncle, he saw a rope in his hand and it was swinging towards him, or a burning torch being laid on his bare skin. It had taken every bit of strength and control he had not to run in the house and hide. After spending the day avoiding his uncle as much as he could and hiding his reactions when he couldn't, Bo was exhausted. Still though, he couldn't sleep, every creak and moan of the old house turning into his uncle's footsteps as he came for him.

The next morning Luke was surprised to see Bo up before him, then he saw the dark circles under the younger man's eyes. "Aw Bo, did you get any sleep at all?"

"Yeah...no, I tried Luke, I just couldn't," Bo reluctantly explained.

"You want to talk about it?" Luke asked, laying a hand on his cousin's shoulder.

"Nothing to talk about, I just couldn't sleep, no big deal," Bo insisted.

"Alright, if you say so," Luke replied, obviously not convinced.

They spent that day like the day before, with the exception of Rosco's presence rather than Enos'. By the end of the day it was apparent that Delbert Penny wasn't going to make a move and Luke wasn't sure how much more Bo could take.

Unknown to Luke, Delbert had been watching the Duke farm since the previous afternoon and he was furious. He couldn't believe that all of his planning and work had been for nothing. Sure, Jesse had suffered and so had Jeremy's son, but only for a few weeks. Now they were once again becoming a family, and with his luck, they'd be stronger than ever. _Damn them Dukes can't they ever do anything my way? Well I ain't gonna let Jesse escape without paying in full for sending me to prison. I guess if that boy ain't got no more sense than to stay away from his uncle, I'll have to remove him permanantly. _Delbert continued watching, getting angrier as the hours passed. By the end of the second day, he had decided he would make his move. Waiting for all of the lights to be turned off, he gave them a half an hour to fall asleep.

Once he was sure the Duke family was asleep, Delbert crept towards the farmhouse a hunting knife gripped in his hand. Carefully opening the back door, Delbert eased it open and silently moved towards the bedrooms. Stopping once when a floorboard creaked under his feet, sure that it would bring somebody into the hall, he was relieved when that didn't happen. Opening the first door he came to, he quietly closed it when he saw Daisy sleeping peacefully. Moving to the next door, he pushed it open, smiling when he saw the blond head resting on one of the pillows. Quietly he stepped into the room, leaving the door open, not wanting to chance waking the other young man in the room. Standing over Bo Duke who slept on, oblivious to the danger he was in, Delbert Penny raised the knife high over his head and plunged it downward.

"Freeze, you're under arrest!" Rosco yelled, stepping into the room, his gun pointed at Delbert Penny.

Turning towards the sheriff, Delbert gave the man a malicious smile. "I don't think so," he snarled, moving quickly he again plunged the knife towards Bo's chest. The bullet that struck his back should've stopped him, but he was determined to take at least one Duke with him.

As if in slow motion, Bo watched the knife coming towards his chest while he lay there frozen in fear. The sound of the bullet startled him, but his eyes never left Penny's face. He saw the shock in his eyes when the bullet hit him. He was surprised when the man remained on his feet, and with a growl of hatred he continued coming at Bo with the knife. Somehow Rosco had managed to get between the beds, and when Delbert didn't stop, his next bullet hit the man between the eyes, stopping him forever.

The sounds of the gunshots had brought Jesse and Daisy from their rooms. "Rosco, what's going on in there?" Jesse yelled.

"Y'all can come in now Jesse, it's safe," Rosco replied.

"What happened?" Jesse demanded, stepping into the room and seeing Luke kneeling on Bo's bed, holding his younger cousin in his arms.

"Penny made his move, I stopped him," Rosco replied, motioning to the floor between the two beds. "Excuse me Jesse, I need to go call the coroner," Rosco said, leaving the room.

"Luke? How is he?" Jesse asked.

"I think he's still in shock Uncle Jesse," Luke replied, turning towards the door. Seeing Daisy standing in the doorway behind Jesse, Luke suggested that she should leave.

"Daisy, Luke's right you don't need to be seeing this," Jesse agreed, gently nudging her from the room. "Come on, me and you'll go make some coffee for everybody," he said, taking her arm and leading her to the kitchen.

Luke continued to hold and rock Bo, keeping the younger man's head turned away from the sight on the floor. When Rosco had yelled, Luke had jerked awake to a sight that had made his blood run cold with terror. Even though he had been in the room, he still wasn't sure how Rosco had got across him so quickly and between the beds, but he was damn glad he had. The moment Delbert's body hit the floor, Luke launched himself from his bed and grabbed Bo in a fierce hug.

"Bo, come on cousin talk to me please," Luke begged. "It's safe now Bo, he's gone, I promise it's safe," Luke kept talking to his baby cousin, hoping to reach him. The coroner arrived a while later and removed Delbert Penny's body; still Bo hadn't said a word. Jesse called Dr. Appleby and came to tell them that the family doctor was on his way; Bo didn't even flinch. Finally just as Luke heard the doctor's car pull up outside, Bo spoke, the words breaking Luke's heart.

"Luke? Can I go back to Cooter's now?" Bo asked, sounding like a lost, scared little boy.

TBC

Thanks for all the great reviews. Okay, y'all know the routine. The muse wants food, please feed the muse with reviews.


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: I don't own the Dukes of Hazzard, not making any money, just cheap thrills.

Warnings: Angst

Rating: FRT

Italics and/or indicates thoughts

Do The Right Thing

Chapter 13

Standing outside the door, Jesse felt his heart breaking at his nephew's question. Unable to continue listening, he turned away and took a step towards the living room. Pausing when he saw his niece standing in the hall, one look in her eyes told him that she had heard Bo's words. Gently moving her to the side, he moved past her and rapidly walked outside.

Watching her uncle flee from Bo's words, Daisy stood in the hall not knowing if she should follow after him. Deciding that she would give him a couple of minutes alone, she returned to the kitchen and poured them each a glass of tea. Carrying the two glasses outside, she went in search of her uncle. She didn't have to go far, she found him sitting at the picnic table, staring at the yard in front of him. "Uncle Jesse? I brought you some tea," she said, sitting the glass down on the table.

"Thank you Daisy," Jesse replied, picking up the glass and taking a sip.

"Bo'll come around Uncle Jesse, you'll see," Daisy said, squeezing his hand in a comforting gesture.

"It's alright Daisy, you don't have to worry about me. I don't blame Bo for wanting to get away from me, after what I did..."

"You were drugged and brainwashed Uncle Jesse, ya can't blame yourself for what happened."

"I could've fought harder," Jesse insisted.

"How do you know you didn't?"

"I couldn't have or I would never have hurt your cousin. I know you want to help Daisy, but you should be in there helping Bo, not me." Jesse stood up and went to his pick-up, climbing inside, he looked sadly at the farmhouse. Glancing at Daisy, he gave her a small reassuring smile before starting the truck and leaving the driveway.

"Bo I know you're hurting but I was hoping you would stay and work things out with Uncle Jesse," Luke told his cousin.

"I'm sorry Luke, I just can't stay here. Please say you understand," Bo begged, afraid that Luke would be angry with him.

"Damn it!" Luke snapped, slamming his hand against the wall in anger. Sighing with regret when Bo flinched at his response, Luke forced himself to calm down. "I'm sorry Bo, it's not you I'm mad at, it's Delbert Penny. I understand that this is hard on you, but you know that Uncle Jesse was drugged right?"

"I know that! Luke the first night I was back here I couldn't sleep, I sat up all night waiting for Uncle Jesse to beat me. The only reason I was sleeping tonight was because I was exhausted, I'm not ready to be here," Bo softly told his cousin. "I believe that what you told me about Uncle Jesse being drugged and brainwashed is true, up here," Bo said, tapping his head. "The problem is that no matter how much I tell myself it wasn't really Uncle Jesse, I still see him! It wasn't Delbert in that room beating me, telling me what a horrible person I am. The only person I saw after Uncle Jesse got there was Uncle Jesse, please try to understand that I still need time."

"I guess I was just hoping that after a couple of days at home, you'd be able to stay here. I want whatever's best for you though, so if you need to go back to Cooter's then that's what you'll do. Do you think you could wait until morning though?"

"I guess I could, but do ya think I could sleep in the barn?" Bo asked, his eyes straying to the bloodstained floor.

"Yeah, I hope you don't mind some company though," Luke replied.

"You? I don't need you to babysit me Luke," Bo protested, thinking his cousin was hovering.

"It ain't that Bo, I just don't really want to sleep in here either. Truth is I don't think I could sleep anyway, not with that on the floor," Luke told him, nodding towards the blood.

"You were in the Marines and went to war, how can you be bothered by what happened?"

"Bo I might've been in the Marines, but there's a big difference between shooting at people who are shooting at you and seeing a man shot to death in your own house. For one thing, they weren't usually so close when I shot them. You know I still ain't figured out how Rosco got between the beds like he did, sure glad he did though."

"I didn't even know Rosco was here, all I could see was Delbert standing over me with a knife."

"Don't remind me, I doubt I'll ever forget the fear I felt when I woke up and saw that. I was so scared that you were going to be killed, I can't even describe it."

"You were scared?" Bo asked, clearly not believing his cousin's words.

"Bo I know you think I'm brave, but I'm not, especially compared to you. It's not bravery to shoot at somebody who's trying to kill ya, that's just survival. The real bravery is what you did when you came back to the farm. Coming here to draw Penny out, in spite of the fact that you're still scared of Uncle Jesse, that takes true courage. I'm more proud of you than I could ever say, I just wish I had the words to tell ya," Luke told him, giving his shoulder a gentle squeeze.

"You really mean that don't ya?" Bo asked, shocked that the cousin he'd always looked up to thought he was brave.

"Of course I do Bo, I wouldn't have said it if I didn't," Luke insisted. "So what do ya say, you willing to share the barn?"

"Sure, I'd like that," Bo replied, a small smile forming on his face for a moment.

"Alright, you get the pillows and I'll get the blankets," Luke told him, standing up and pulling Bo to his feet.

Jesse drove aimlessly around the roads of Hazzard, trying to stop Bo's words from repeating in his mind. It was no use though, as he drove he kept hearing his nephew's voice asking to go back to Cooter's. Not that he blamed Bo any, after all he'd suffered at Jesse's hands, it wasn't any wonder he wanted to get away from him. He hadn't realized though until now, how much he had been hoping that after spending a few days at home, he'd be ready to stay permanently. Finally exhaustion won out and Jesse turned the pick-up for home. As he approached the drive, his headlights caught a flash of something in the trees. Parking the truck, Jesse climbed out and headed for the trees.

Suspecting that whatever it was, had to do with Delbert Penny, Jesse carefully approached the trees. Seeing the car Delbert had picked him up in, Jesse looked around the area in case there were any booby traps. Seeing nothing out of the ordinary, he stepped up to the car and glanced in the open window. Recoiling in horror at what he saw on the front seat, Jesse took several deep breaths in an effort to control his roiling stomach. Stumbling back to the truck, he radioed the sheriff and told him what he'd found. Standing next to his pick-up, Jesse waited for Rosco to join him.

Pulling up behind Jesse's truck, Rosco got out of his patrol car and walked up to the older man. "Jesse, you said you found Delbert's car?"

"Yeah Rosco, it's right over here," Jesse replied, leading him towards the trees.

"Now you didn't touch anything did ya?"

"No I didn't, especially after what I saw on the front seat," Jesse answered, shuddering slightly at the memory.

"You okay Jesse?" Rosco asked when he saw the older man shivering.

"I'm fine Rosco, just...well it was hard to see what was in that car."

"Oh," Rosco said, not sure he wanted to see the car but knowing he had to. Walking up to the car, he noticed that Jesse remained several feet away. Opening the door, he slid into the driver's seat and that's when he saw the picture. Seeing a picture of Bo laying on a concrete floor, his uncle standing over him a bloody rope in his hand certainly explained why Jesse was upset. Picking up the picture to take a closer look, he realized that there were more pictures beneath it. Carefully looking through the pile of photos, Rosco was glad Jesse hadn't seen any of these. Rosco wanted to burn the pictures and forget he'd ever seen them, but he knew he couldn't do that. Laying the photos aside, he continued searching the car. After finding a few changes of clothes, some bottled water, canned goods and a sleeping bag, it was obvious Delbert had been living in the vehicle. Looking through the car some more, Rosco didn't find anything else and began to get out of the car. As he climbed from the car, he felt an odd lump in the back of the seat. Turning towards the back of the car, he carefully examined the fabric, it only took him a few seconds to find the hidden zipper that somebody had installed. Pulling the zipper down, Rosco reached into the seat until his hand met with a solid object. Grabbing a hold of it, he took it from it's hiding place and saw that he'd found a journal. Opening the book, he read the first entry.

_I can't believe how easy it's been to spy on Jesse Duke. Why back when we were all running shine, he would've known the second somebody stepped foot on his property. Guess without the need to hide his stills, he's gotten lax, good thing for me. Too bad Jeremy's dead, it don't hardly seem fair to make the boy pay for his daddy's sins. Then again, the good book does say the sins of the father shall be visited upon the son, so I suppose it's only fitting._

_I found a warehouse today up on Wilson road, it'll be perfect for what I've got planned. Now I'll just have to find a two-way mirror somewhere and get it installed. I'll make sure that they pay for breaking the code and sending me to prison. They had no right doing that to me!_

_Well it took a couple of weeks, but I finally did it. I found a two-way mirror in Atlanta and the boys that sold it to me will deliver and install it, no questions asked. I've also been researching drugs that would work for my plans and I think I've got the perfect one. It's called Ketamine, it's usually used on animals which means I can get it in any vet's office. I don't want anybody around here to get suspicious though, so I'll have to go up to Sweetwater county and steal me some. According to the books I found this stuff will give Jesse hallucinations, nightmares and make him real easy to brainwash. By the time I'm done with him, he'll be doing whatever I say. I just have to figure out some way to make sure he can always hear my voice, after all I don't want Bo to see me once his uncle is there._

_Finally everything is in place, I've got a receiver that will fit in Jesse's ear, got the two-way mirror installed, and most importantly I've found the drug. Now I'll just have to wait until Bo is alone to put my plan into action._

_I can't believe it's been so long, I been watching them for months now and I swear that boy ain't never alone. Everytime he leaves the house, that cousin of his goes with him, except for them few times he goes on a date alone. Well if prison taught me one thing, it's how to be patient._

_I give up, I'm just going to have to grab the boy when he's with his cousin. I found a source for some tranqulizer darts and once I knock the older one out, I'll take Bo._

_It worked perfectly, better than I could've expected in fact. Grabbing the boy when he's skinny dipping, bringing him here naked which I know is making him nervous. I just wish I could be there when they find his clothes and start thinking he's in the water. Damn I hate to miss that, oh well it can't be helped._

_I can't believe how satisfying this is, standing here listening to Bo screaming and begging for me to come back. I ain't never gonna forget the look in his eyes when he thought I was going to rape him. I could've too, thought about it even. It's not like it's the first time I ever done a man, but this is even better. He's actually begging me to do him, willing to make any sacrifice if it'll protect his cousin. I sure am looking forward to seeing how he reacts when I tell him I raped her and it's his fault. Well time to get this show on the road._

_It was priceless, the look on Bo's face when he thought I'd raped his innocent cousin. I played it up too, told him how much she fought me and how good it was. I even told him she was a virgin, I don't know if she is but with a body like that I doubt it. He tried to believe I was lying, but I didn't give him the chance, just kept at him until he believed it. Soon he'll be ready for the next phase of my plan, just a little bit longer and he'll be reunited with his beloved uncle._

_Well I guess Jesse won't be so beloved after this. It's been three days since I brought him here, Bo doesn't even try to argue anymore. The boy just lays there and takes whatever punishment his uncle dishes out, convinced that he deserves every bit of what is happening to him. Jesse resisted the drug of course, but it wasn't any use, it's just too powerful. There ain't a man alive that can fight that stuff once it takes hold, and it don't take long for it to do just that. I wonder how long it'll take for the memories to return to Jesse? I wonder if he'll have the strength to carry on, or will he use that shotgun he's so fond of to blow his own head off? I think a couple more days ought to do it, then I'll let Luke Duke know where to find them, anonymously of course. _

_It's been nearly a week since I took Bo, time to end this part of the plan. Sure am glad I took all those pictures, it'll give me something to keep me going while I wait for the next step. I think I'll wait about a month, yeah by then the boy may be starting to forgive his uncle and then it'll be time to make my next move. By the time I'm done with them, Bo will be dead or insane and Jesse will be locked in a cell for the things he's done to his own nephew. Everybody in Hazzard will turn their backs on him, starting with his own family._

"Rosco what'd ya find?" Jesse asked, startling the sheriff so badly he nearly dropped the journal.

"Uh, well ya see um, Jesse I can't tell ya," Rosco replied.

"What do ya mean ya can't tell me? It concerns my family don't it?"

"Yeah it does, but ya see Jesse, the thing is I have to keep all this evidence locked up for the State boys."

"Rosco what are you talking about?" Jesse demanded.

"Well ya see Jesse, I killed a man and that means the State Police have to investigate and make sure it was justified. As soon as they do that, I can tell ya what I found. I will too, the minute they clear it, I'll let you see what I found, I promise."

"Truth be told Rosco, I ain't so sure I want to see what ya found, but I would like to have any pictures you found so I can burn 'em."

"Jesse I know you ain't got any reason to trust me, but believe me when I tell ya there's something you'll want to see. Well maybe want ain't exactly the right word, but you need to see it and so does Bo," Rosco told him as they walked back to the road.

"Alright Rosco if you say so," Jesse agreed, not seeing anything to gain by arguing. "Guess I best get back home now, you let me know when you can just what it is ya found. Bye Rosco, and thank you," Jesse said, climbing into his truck and pulling back onto the road.

Parking in his usual spot in the yard, Jesse got out of the truck and headed inside. Stopping at the sound of voices coming from the barn, he cautiously approached the large outbuilding. As he neared the door, he was able to make out the words being spoken and realized it was his kids in the barn.

"Bo I know you're upset and I don't blame ya honey, but how is going back to Cooter's going to fix anything?" Daisy asked, sitting down beside her younger cousin on the bale of hay.

"Daisy I know that I need to forgive Uncle Jesse for what he did, but it's not that simple. Like I told Luke I know he was drugged and all, that don't change the fact that he was the one who beat me. It wasn't Delbert Penny standing over me with a rope or worse. Sure as I'm sitting here it wasn't Delbert Penny that told me I was a horrible person, that I had killed my own parents. Daisy I believe y'all when you say that Uncle Jesse only said those things cause Penny told him to. At least I want to believe ya, the problem is; I close my eyes and I see Uncle Jesse, hear his voice. You don't know all the things he said I did Daisy, he told me that he hated me, that all of you hated me. Please try to understand I just need some time, I am trying though, I swear I am," Bo tried to explain.

"I know you need time Bo, I don't expect you to just start trusting Uncle Jesse right away. What I don't understand is how are you going to learn to trust him again if you're living at Cooter's farm?" Daisy asked, jumping up from the hay bale and moving to look out the back door of the barn, putting some needed distance between them.

"Daisy?" Bo called to her. Receiving no answer, he was sure that she was mad at him. "Please Daisy I couldn't stand it if you hated me," he cried out.

Spinning around, Daisy stared at her youngest cousin, shocked and angry at how quickly he fell back into what he'd believed only a short time ago. "Beauregard James Duke don't you ever say that!" Daisy yelled, marching back to stand in front of Bo. " Oh Bo, I could never hate you, I just...needed a little space for a minute." Wrapping her arms around him she felt her heart breaking a little more as Bo's tears soaked into her robe. "It's alright honey, you do what you need to, whatever it takes to help you heal."

"No, I'll stay here," Bo whispered, knowing he couldn't fight both of his cousins.

"Bo, you don't have to do that, you should do what's best for you. I'm not mad, I promise and neither is Luke," Daisy softly soothed.

"She's right Bo, I ain't mad at you for wanting to go back to Cooter's. I'll admit I'm disappointed, but I want you to do what's best for you," Luke said, stepping up beside them.

"You mean it?" Bo asked, glancing between them, making it clear the question was meant for them both.

"I mean it Bo, just promise me that you're not giving up on coming home," Luke replied.

"That's all I want too baby, just don't give up on finding your way back to us."

"Thank you," Bo said. Pulling back from Daisy, he wrapped one arm around Luke and drew them both into a hug. Moving away, he looked at Luke, searching his eyes as he asked his question, "Do you think Uncle Jesse will understand?"

"Yes, he will Bo," Jesse replied from the doorway, startling them all. Though it broke his heart, he forced himself to ignore the way Bo flinched at the sound of his voice, determined to help his boy to heal. "I didn't mean to listen in, I heard voices and just wanted to make sure it wasn't more trouble. When I realized it was you kids, I started to leave but when I heard what ya was talking about I couldn't. Bo I know right now you're not able to trust me, and I understand that. Probably better than either of your cousins if the truth were told. Bo I hope you'll understand that I only want what is best for you, if that means you go stay with Cooter a while longer, then so be it. Like your cousins though, I want you to remember that we all love you and want you to find your way back to us." Having done what he could for the moment, Jesse turned away and slowly walked into the house.

TBC

I know I'm a little late with the update, I didn't have time to write over the weekend. Hope y'all enjoyed this chapter, but the muse is hungry and could use some food. Please review.


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: I don't own the Dukes of Hazzard, not making any money, just cheap thrills

Warnings: Angst, OOC(Out Of Character)

Rating: FRT

Do The Right Thing

Chapter 14

"Hello," Cooter answered the phone, slightly out of breath from the short run into the house.

"Hey Cooter," Bo quietly greeted his friend.

"Hey Bo, how ya doing buddyro?"

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about," Bo replied. "Luke's plan worked, Delbert made his move last night."

"So Rosco caught him?"

"Actually Rosco killed him, it was the only way he could keep me from being killed."

"What?" Cooter yelled, shocked by the news. "Just what exactly happened over there Bo?"

"Delbert came into the house last night, I woke up with him standing over me with a knife and Rosco yelling freeze. He didn't stop though, he just looked at Rosco and grinnned, then he tried to stab me. Somehow Rosco ended up between the beds and shot Penny, though I don't really remember that part, guess I was in shock or something."

"Damn, that must've been pretty upsetting. Is there anything I can do?" Cooter asked, worried for his friend.

"It was and yeah there is. If you don't mind that is, um, Cooter could I come stay at your place a while longer?" Bo asked, gripping the phone tightly, afraid that Cooter would turn him down.

"Of course you can Bo. I guess that means things didn't go too well with Uncle Jesse?"

"No, not that he did anything, it's just I'm not ready to be here yet. Could we talk about this later? I really don't want to get into it on the phone."

"Sure Bo, you don't owe me any explanation. You want me to come and get you, or is Luke gonna bring you over?"

"I guess I'll just have Luke bring me over, to the house right?"

"Yeah that'd be fine, when do ya think you'll be here?"

"I was thinking I'd have Luke bring me now, if that's okay?"

"That's fine Bo, I'll have breakfast waiting when ya get here," Cooter answered, hating the uncertainity he could hear in Bo's voice.

"Thanks Cooter, see ya soon," Bo said before disconnecting the call. Turning around he saw Luke standing there, Bo's suitcase in his hand.

"I packed for ya Bo, didn't think you'd want to go back in the bedroom right now," Luke explained.

"Thanks Luke," Bo said. "Cooter said I could come over now if I want, do ya think you could give me a ride?"

"Yeah I can do that Bo, but don't you want to have breakfast first?" Luke asked, still hoping that Bo would change his mind.

"Cooter said he'd have breakfast waiting when I got there," Bo answered. "If you don't want to take me it's okay, I'll find some other way."

"It's not that Bo, I just ain't in any hurry to see you go," Luke explained, his voice thick with emotion.

"I ain't planning to stay gone forever Luke, I just need some time," Bo told him, stepping to his cousin's side and giving his shoulder a small squeeze.

"You gonna tell Daisy and Uncle Jesse goodbye?"

"Yeah, I suppose so," Bo said, moving towards the kitchen where Daisy was busy cooking. Watching as his cousin moved around the kitchen, deftly preparing breakfast, Bo hated to upset her, but he knew he couldn't stay here. "Daisy? I called Cooter and he said it was okay for me to stay there. Aw Daisy, please don't cry I can't stand the thought of upsetting ya," Bo plead, walking to her and gently brushing a tear from her cheek.

"I'm okay Bo, I hope you're planning to come home again," Daisy half-said and half-asked.

"I will, I just need time. I know you and Luke don't really understand why I can't stay here now that I know Uncle Jesse was drugged. I'm not sure I can explain it, I just know that right now I'm too scared and mixed up to be here. I do want to see all of ya's though and that includes Uncle Jesse, I need to see ya's so I can get better. I just can't do it here," Bo explained, hoping that both of his cousins would understand.

"I know Bo, and I'm trying to understand. Are you going to stay for breakfast?" Daisy asked, willing her tears to stop and pasting a smile on her face.

"Nah, Cooter said he'd have breakfast waiting," Bo replied. "Luke, do you know where Uncle Jesse is?" Bo asked, turning back to his oldest cousin.

"I think he's outside. You want me to come with you?"

"No, but maybe if you were nearby I'd be less nervous."

"Okay, come on then," Luke said, leading the way outside. Luke walked over to stand beside the General, waiting while Bo cautiously approached where their uncle sat at the picnic table.

"UnUncle Jesse? I, uh called Cooter, Luke's gonna take me over there now," Bo explained. "I didn't want to leave without saying bye, and, um, I do want to see you, maybe at the garage..." Bo trailed off, flinching when Jesse stood up.

Jesse abruptly sat back down, hating that look of fear on his boy's face. "I wasn't gonna hurt ya Bo, I just wanted to give you a proper goodbye."

"I'm ssssorry Uncle Jjjjesse, I didn't mean it," Bo stuttered out, trying to bring his fear under control. "Maybe I could give you a hug," Bo suggested, hating the look of hurt in his uncle's eyes.

"I'd like that sprout," Jesse replied, slowly spreading his arms and waiting for Bo to make the next move.

Steeling himself, Bo took two steps forward. Pausing, he drew in a deep calming breath and took two more steps. Leaning down, he carefully wrapped his arms around his uncle, giving him a light hug. Straightening back up, Bo looked down at Jesse, a sad smile on his face, "Bye Uncle Jesse, see you later?"

"Yeah you will, we're gonna find a way to heal both of us," Jesse assured his nephew. Jesse sadly watched as Bo walked back to his oldest cousin's side and climbed into the General.

"Hey Bo," Cooter greeted the younger man when he climbed out of the General. "Luke you gonna stay to breakfast?"

"I don't think so Cooter, Daisy was cooking when we left," Luke replied, handing Bo's suitcase out the window to his cousin. "Bo, I'll be by the garage later, okay?"

"Yeah, see ya later Luke," Bo answered, stepping back from the car and watching as Luke drove away. Though it saddened him to see Luke go, Bo couldn't help noticing that he felt relaxed for the first time in days. "So Cooter, you said something about breakfast," he commented, trying to act normally.

"I did, come on in I just put it on the table when y'all pulled up." Cooter told him. Clapping one hand on Bo's shoulder, he steered the younger man towards the house.

Cooter sat down at the table and began dishing up the food. Making himself wait to ask the questions that were weighing on his mind, Cooter passed the food over to Bo before beginning to eat. For several minutes neither man spoke, the one watching worriedly as the other simply pushed the food around his plate. "You want to talk about it?" Cooter asked, unable to take any more of seeing Bo so obviously upset.

"Not really, but I guess you deserve to know," Bo answered, never raising his eyes from the table.

"Bo you don't have to tell me anything you don't want to, but maybe it'd help. You said earlier that things didn't go too well with Uncle Jesse..."

"No they didn't, but it wasn't cause he did anything. I couldn't even sleep the first night, I kept expecting Uncle Jesse to come in anytime and hurt me again. He never did, and I keep telling myself that he was drugged and brainwashed, but it ain't working. Everytime I close my eyes I see him standing over me, or I hear him telling me what a horrible person I am. I want to believe that Luke's right, that Uncle Jesse didn't have any control over what was happening, but I can't, and it hurts. It hurts more than I can explain, and I don't know how to fix it," Bo told him, barely choking back the tears that threatened to fall.

"Well Luke said he'd be by the garage later, what about Daisy and Jesse?"

"They probably won't be with him today," Bo replied.

"But are ya planning to see them at all, or are ya leaving the farm for good?"

"No I wasn't figuring on being gone forever, I just need some time. If it's okay with you, Daisy and Uncle Jesse will probably come by the garage a fair amount, until I'm ready to go home."

"Course it's okay with me Bo, and I'd say that what you just said means you're on the way to fixing it," Cooter pointed out.

"I suppose," Bo agreed, sounding as though he wasn't sure he believed it. "I want ya to know too that I appreciate you letting me stay here Cooter."

"Bo, you're my friend, of course I'm gonna help ya anyway that I can," Cooter told him, reaching across the table and gently gripping Bo's hand.

Giving a small smile to the mechanic, Bo once again picked up his fork and forced himself to begin eating. Finishing breakfast, Bo stood up and carried his dishes to the sink. Quickly washing them, he put them away before picking up his suitcase and carrying it to the spare room. Coming back out a few minutes later, he saw Cooter standing at the sink washing up the pots and pans. Kicking himself for not thinking to do them, Bo grabbed a dish towel and began to dry the dishes as Cooter washed. "Sorry Cooter," he quietly apologized as he dried the skillet.

"Sorry? For what?" Cooter asked, confused by the apology.

"I should've thought to wash the pots and pans, not just my own dishes."

"It's okay Bo, you don't need to apologize for that. I sure wasn't bothered by it," Cooter assured him. "Tell ya what, if it'll make ya feel better I'll let you finish up while I wipe the table off, then we can go to the garage."

"Okay," Bo agreed, taking the dishcloth from Cooter's hand and moving to the other sink.

"Uncle Jesse aren't you going to eat?" Daisy asked after several minutes of watching her uncle push his food around the plate.

"What? I'm not very hungry, I think I'll just go out to the back forty, I got some fence repairs to make," Jesse replied. Standing up, he move to the back door and grabbed his keys from the hook.

"What are we gonna do Luke?" Daisy asked.

"The only thing we can do Daisy, be here for both of them and wait," Luke replied, knowing it wasn't much of an answer.

"I guess you're right, but I can't help wishing there was more we could do."

"Yeah, me too. Well I got some chores to do before I can go into town," Luke said, standing up and carrying his plate to the sink. "You gonna come with me when I go?"

"Do you think I should? I don't want Bo to feel like we're ganging up on him," Daisy explained.

"I don't think he'll mind Daisy, but it's up to you."

"I'll think about it, ask me again before you leave," Daisy said. Running water into the sink, she added soap and began to wash the dishes as Luke headed outside for his own chores.

Just after lunch the roar of a powerful engine caught Bo's attention. Recognizing the General's distinctive motor, Bo turned towards the front of the garage, nervously waiting for Luke to come inside. Bo nearly dropped the screwdriver he still held, when he saw Daisy coming into the garage. "Hey Daisy, I thought you were Luke," Bo greeted, trying to hide his disappointment.

"He's outside talking to Cooter, he'll be in soon," Daisy explained, quietly ignoring the relieved look that crossed her cousin's face.

"So...um I didn't know you were coming along."

"Luke asked me if I wanted to, I can go if you don't want us both here," Daisy reluctantly offered.

"No! I mean you don't have to go, I just wasn't expecting you that's all."

"Bo, everything okay in here?" Luke asked as he came into the garage after Bo's yell.

"Huh? Yeah I just um..."

"Everything's fine Luke, Bo was just a little surprised by something I said, that's all," Daisy explained.

"So what are ya working on cousin?" Luke asked, nodding to the screwdriver in Bo's hand.

"Just adjusting a carburetor," Bo responded. "You want to help?"

"I'd better, I leave it up to you and that poor car won't ever run right," Luke replied, doing his best to sound normal.

"Cute," Bo said, a smile beginning to form as he enjoyed the moment of normalcy with his cousin.

"Hey Cooter, you got any coffee?" Daisy called to the mechanic as he walked towards them.

"Nah, you want to make a pot?"

"Sure," Daisy answered, stepping over to the pot and picking it up.

The afternoon passed quickly as the cousins helped Cooter with the various cars, all of them relaxing as they bantered back and forth. Looking up at the clock, Daisy noticed the time was nearing three o'clock. "Uh Luke, I hate to break this up but it's almost three and I need to get ready for work."

"Okay Daisy," Luke replied. Laying the tools he was using on the workbench, Luke turned to his youngest cousin. "Bo, would it be okay if I came by tommorrow? Maybe with Uncle Jesse," Luke asked.

"I...yeah, you do that Luke," Bo answered, determined to reclaim his life, no matter how hard it was.

"See you tommorrow then," Luke said. A proud smile, a quick hug and Luke was out the door.

"You done good Bo," Cooter told him, coming up to stand beside the younger man.

"We'll see," Bo said, a wistful smile on his face as he watched the General disappearing from sight.

"Bo? What do ya mean?"

"I want my life back Cooter, but I don't know if I can do it, so maybe you should save the praise until then," Bo replied.

"Aw Bo, you'll do it, I know you will," Cooter assured him.

"How do you know that?"

"Because you're a Duke and you're stronger than you think. I know it's hard Bo, but you'll make it and I'll be here to help you all I can."

"Thanks Cooter, I couldn't handle this without you," Bo said, throwing one arm over his friend's shoulders.

"No problem Bo, that's what friends are for. Ya know with all the extra help I had today I'm pretty much done. What do ya say we knock off early and go do a little fishing?"

"Sounds good to me," Bo agreed. "You got poles here?"

"Upstairs, why don't you get them and I'll start shutting things down," Cooter suggested.

"You got it," Bo eagerly replied as he moved towards the ladder.

Chuckling softly, Cooter watched Bo climb the ladder. He was relieved that such a simple thing had brought his friend some happiness, he only wished he could do more.

TBC

Thanks for the reviews, but the muse needs more. Please review.


	15. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: I don't own the Dukes of Hazzard, not making any money, just cheap thrills.

Warnings: Angst, OOC(Out of Character)

Rating: FRT

Italics and/or indicates thoughts

Do The Right Thing

Chapter 15

"Bo can I ask you something?" Cooter asked, keeping his eyes on his fishing line as he spoke.

"Sure Cooter," Bo replied. Turning to his friend, he wondered if he'd done something wrong.

"Do you hate Uncle Jesse?"

"I," Bo began, pausing to lick suddenly dry lips. "I don't know Cooter, I guess not but I don't understand how he could let this happen."

"Luke told you he was drugged and brainwashed, right?" Cooter asked, looking Bo in the eye.

"Yeah," Bo quietly answered, glancing away from his friend's gaze.

"But you don't believe him?"

"No, that's not it, I just don't know how to get past what happened. Cooter am I a terrible person for being afraid of Uncle Jesse?"

"No! Sorry, didn't mean to yell," Cooter apologized when he saw Bo flinch. "You know I'm beginning to wish Rosco hadn't killed Delbert," he growled.

"What? Why would you be wishing he was alive?"

"So I could kill him myself for what he did to you and Uncle Jesse," Cooter explained. "Bo let me ask you something. If Delbert had made you hurt your uncle, would you think he was wrong to be afraid of you?"

"No of course not."

"What else is it Bo? I know there's something else bothering you," Cooter pressed, hoping that he wasn't making things worse.

For several minutes, Bo didn't answer. Turning away from Cooter and playing with the line of his fishing pole, he avoided the question. Still unable to look at his friend, afraid of what he would see, Bo tried to explain. "It's like I said earlier though, how could he let this happen? I know he was drugged, but why didn't he fight it harder? If he loves me, why couldn't he fight the drug?"

"Aw Bo," Cooter replied, moving closer to the younger man and draping one arm across his shoulders. "I may not know everything about that drug he was given, or exactly what happened in that warehouse, but there's one thing I know for sure. I know that Uncle Jesse loves you! I admit I had some doubt when you first told us he was the one that hurt you, but once I knew he'd been drugged all I wanted was to help both of you. And before you ask, you're not terrible for having doubts, with all you went through I'd be worried if ya didn't have any doubts."

"Thanks Cooter," Bo quietly said, leaning against Cooter, enjoying the support of his friendship. "Sorry that I keep dumping all of this on you."

"Whoa, hold it right there Bo Duke!" Cooter grabbed Bo's arm and turned the younger man so that he was half facing him. "You ain't got to apologize for telling me your problems, that's what friends are for. You're one of the best friends I've got and I ain't about to let you go through all of this on your own. Now I know normally you'd turn to your family, but right now you can't do that and I'm more than happy to fill in for them until you can. So no more apologies, okay?"

"Okay," Bo agreed. "Hey ya got a bite Cooter," he yelled, as he saw the other man's line jerk in the water.

"Dang!" Cooter dove for his pole, grabbing it before the fish could pull it into the lake. "Thanks Bo," he said, settling back onto the bank and getting comfortable.

"No problem," Bo replied, turning to his own pole. He was feeling almost normal for the moment and he was determined to enjoy it while it lasted.

"Luke, Daisy, how did things go with Bo?" Jesse asked when the two cousins had climbed out of the General.

"Pretty good Uncle Jesse," Luke replied. "In fact, he wants us to bring you by tommorrow," he told his uncle, a grin spreading across his face.

Looking up from shelling peas, Jesse could hardly believe what he was hearing, "He does?"

"Yep," Luke assured him.

"He really does Uncle Jesse, Luke ain't making it up," Daisy chimed in.

"Well I didn't say he was, did I?" Jesse gruffly asked. "I just didn't expect for Bo to want to see me that soon," he explained.

"I know, I was kind of surprised too," Daisy replied. "I get the feeling he just wants to get back to normal as soon as he can."

"I'd say it's safe to say we all want that, but I don't want him to rush himself. Maybe I shouldn't go..."

"Uncle Jesse you can't do that!" Luke practically yelled, interrupting the older man.

"Why not?"

"Because...no matter what I tell him, Bo will figure it's proof that you really do hate him."

"You don't really think he'd...yeah, he would. Alright, I'll go then, but I'm taking the pick-up and you take the General. If I think he's pushing himself, or I see him getting upset I'll leave. I've done enough damage to that boy and I ain't gonna do anymore, not if I can help it!" Jesse vowed, violently tossing a handful of peas into the bowl as he spoke. "Did y'all really have a good day?"

"Yeah Uncle Jesse, we did. It was a little awkward at first, but Bo's trying real hard and it didn't take long for us to all be joking around like always. The only reason we came home is cause Daisy needs to get ready for work," Luke explained.

"Which I'd better go do," Daisy said. Leaning down she gave her uncle a light kiss on his weathered cheek, before going into the house.

"Luke, do you really think it's a good idea for me to go over there tommorrow?"

"Uncle Jesse what's going on?"

"What do ya mean? I'm just worried about your cousin."

"No you're not, oh I know you're worried, but that's not what this is all about is it?"

"I suppose it's not, though I do have some concern about Bo pushing himself. I guess the real problem is me...I ain't sure I deserve his forgiveness," Jesse admitted, glancing away from Luke.

"Well why wouldn't you deserve it? You didn't have any control over what happened, not any more than Bo did," Luke reminded the older man.

"I should've had though, don't ya see boy, I should've fought harder," Jesse insisted.

"Uncle Jesse, from what Doc Appleby says that drug is pretty powerful. Hell ya still can't remember everything that happened, so how do you know you didn't fight? I know you Jesse and there ain't no way you hurt Bo without fighting the drug and the brainwashing, but you're only human."

"I wish I knew for sure about that, don't know if it would help but I think it would. And I still ain't sure it's a good idea for me to go to the garage, but I will."

"Thanks Uncle Jesse," Luke said. Reaching across the table, he picked up a handful of peas and began to help his uncle with the shelling.

Returning from the lake, Bo carried the string of catfish he and Cooter had caught. "You want me to start cleaning these?"

"Yeah that'll work, you clean and I'll fry 'em up. I think I got some coleslaw in the fridge, we'll throw a couple of roastin ears in the oven and have us a feast."

"Sounds good Cooter," Bo said, smiling at his friend. Laying the fish in the sink, he pulled open a drawer and began to search for a sharp knife. While Bo cleaned the fish, Cooter wrapped two ears of corn in foil and tossed them into the hot oven. Grabbing a bowl, the mechanic poured some cornmeal into it and added some seasonings. As Bo would finish cleaning and fileting a fish he would hand it to Cooter, who would dredge it in cornmeal and toss it into a skillet filled with hot oil. When the last of the fish were in the skillet, Cooter grabbed an egg and added it to the leftover cornmeal. Working the egg into the cornmeal, he began to form the meal into balls. Once the fish had finished cooking, he would throw the cornmeal into the hot oil and they would have a few hushpuppies to go with the rest of their meal.

"So Bo, you want to go to the Boar's Nest after supper?" Cooter asked, as they worked on cooking the meal.

"Uh," Bo hesitated, not sure if he was ready to be around that many people. _Stop it Bo, it ain't the other people you're worried about, it's you that's the problem. _

"We don't got to go if you don't want to," Cooter told him.

"I ain't sure Cooter, but there ain't no reason why you can't go by yourself."

"Nah, I don't need to go anyway," Cooter said, not sure he should leave Bo alone.

"Dang it!" Bo cried out, nearly slicing his finger with the knife as his frustration rose. "I'm sorry Cooter, I just get so mad everytime something like this happens."

"Something like what Bo?" Cooter asked, laying a surprisingly gentle hand on his friend's shoulder.

"This! You want to go to the Boar's Nest and have some fun, but you're afraid to leave me alone. It ain't right Cooter, you shouldn't be putting your life on hold while you're helping me."

"Well now, maybe I don't see it that way buddyro. First of all, I wouldn't say I was exactly afraid to leave you alone, more like I don't like the idea of you sitting here miserable while I'm out having fun. Secondly I ain't putting my life on hold, helping out a friend in need is a part of life, so how can I be putting anything on hold to do that?"

"I hadn't thought of it like that," Bo whispered.

"Now that's settled, what would you like to do after supper?" Cooter asked, moving away and continuing to dredge the fish.

"I don't know," Bo answered.

"Well you think about it and let me know, okay?"

"Sure."

"Cooter, you still want to go to the Boar's Nest?" Bo asked, as they neared the end of their meal.

"You know I'm always up for that Bo, but we don't have to," Cooter again assured him.

"I know, but I've been thinking and I'd like to give it a try. I ain't never gonna get my life back if I keep avoiding the stuff I'd normally do."

"Alright, but you have to promise me something first."

"Anything," Bo immediately agreed.

"If you need to get out of there, for any reason, you let me know. I ain't gonna get mad, or upset if you want to leave, even if it's only fifteen minutes after we get there. I will get angry though if you push yourself into doing more than you're ready for. Deal?"

"Deal," Bo agreed, hoping that he could handle being at the Boar's Nest.

Walking into the Boar's Nest, Bo was relieved to see that it wasn't very crowded. Following Cooter to a table near the back, Bo sat down. Looking down at the scarred tabletop, he avoided looking at any of the other patrons, sure he'd made a mistake in coming here. The way his stomach was jumping around, he wasn't sure he could keep the watered down beer in it.

"Bo, you okay?" Cooter asked, keeping his voice low to avoid drawing attention to them.

"Huh?" Bo asked, his head snapping up at Cooter's question. "Yeah I'm fine, uh you want me to go get the beers?"

"Daisy's bringing a couple over, I signaled to her when we came in," Cooter explained.

"Oh, guess I didn't notice," Bo mumbled, returning to his study of the scarred tabletop.

"Hey Bo, I ain't seen you in a while, want to dance?" Becky May asked. She pulled her hand away from Bo's back when he jumped unexpectedly. "Sorry Bo, I didn't mean to startle ya," she apologized.

"It's okay Becky May," Bo replied.

"So do you?"

"Do I what?" Bo asked, not having heard her question.

"Want to dance silly?"

"Oh, yeah I'd like that," Bo replied after a small hesitation. Standing up, he gave Becky May a small smile as he took her hand and led her to the dance floor.

"It's good to see him acting like himself," Daisy said, placing a beer on the table in front of Cooter.

"Yeah it is," Cooter agreed. "It'd be even better if he really were back to himself."

"I know, but at least he's trying," Daisy said, setting the other beer at Bo's spot.

"He is that, and he is getting better. Guess it's just gonna take time, how are you doing sweetheart?"

"Okay I suppose. It's hard though with Bo gone and Uncle Jesse feeling so guilty, I'm afraid Cooter."

"Of?"

"That Uncle Jesse won't ever get over this guilt he feels, that Bo won't be able to forgive him for what he did. Don't get me wrong Cooter, I don't blame Bo for the way he feels, heck I was mad enough to move out when I first heard about what happened. But I know now that Uncle Jesse was forced to do the things he did, not that it'll matter if Bo don't ever forgive him. That's what scares me the most, that Bo won't be able to forgive Uncle Jesse for what he did and if he doesn't it'll end up destroying them both."

"Aw Daisy," Cooter quietly said, taking her hand in his and giving it a gentle squeeze. "He's trying sweetheart, I see him fighting his fear and he's getting stronger all the time. I know you're scared, but I really don't think you need to be. As hard as Bo is fighting to get past his fears and to get his life back, I know he's gonna succeed. It's just gonna take time, but he is getting closer," Cooter assured her.

"I hope so Cooter, I really do. Thanks for the talk Cooter, but I better get back to work," Daisy said, before moving away from the table.

A couple of minutes after Daisy left the table, Bo sat back down and in one gulp drank down half his beer. "Hey Cooter, everything okay?" Bo asked, nodding towards his cousin as she waited tables.

"With Daisy? Yeah she's fine, she was just saying how good it was to see you acting more like yourself."

"You sure? She seemed kind of upset."

"Well, she's a little worried about her family," Cooter admitted, not sure how much he should say.

"I upset her?"

"No Bo, she's not really upset, just worried. She knows you're trying, but she's afraid that you won't be able to get past what happened and that will destroy you and Jesse. What she didn't say is that she's afraid that she'll lose her whole family if you can't forgive him," Cooter quietly explained.

"I shouldn't have left the farm again, I should've made myself stay and..."

"And what Bo? Make yourself crazy? You think that any of them want to see you have a nervous breakdown? Cause that's probably what would've happened if you had pushed yourself. Shoot Bo, ya said you couldn't even sleep that first night, and exhaustion is the only reason you slept the second night. How long do ya think you could've kept that up before you collapsed? You think your family wants that?"

"No!" Bo yelled. Immediately he shrank back into his chair, turning red with embarassment. "No Cooter," he began again, more quietly. "I know they wouldn't want that, but I could've at least tried. A couple of bad days and I run like a scared little kid," Bo berated himself, the disgust he felt clearly heard.

"Bo? You okay honey?" Daisy asked, cautiously stepping up to the table.

"Yeah Daisy, I didn't mean to yell," he replied. Looking up, he grabbed her hand as she started to walk away. "I'm sorry that I upset you Daisy, if you want I'll come back home and try..."

"No Bo, I was wrong to try and talk you into doing something you're not ready for. You've only been away from Uncle Jesse less than a day and you're already acting more like yourself, you did the right thing," Daisy assured him.

"Thanks Daisy," Bo stood up and wrapped his arms around her, brushing a kiss into her hair. "I will be coming home again," he whispered in her ear.

"I know Bo, you just make sure it's when you're ready, not because you think it's what we want or need. Yeah Jerry, I'm coming!" Daisy called to the bartender as he was trying to get her attention. "Listen y'all I got to get back to work now, either of ya need another beer?"

"Um..." Cooter looked at Bo, not sure if the younger man wanted to stay.

"Yeah Daisy, why don't ya bring us another round," Bo replied, sitting back down.

"We don't have to stay if you don't want to," Cooter told him, offering him an out.

"I appreciate that Cooter, but I'm okay. I'm glad you suggested it," Bo sincerely told him.

A few minutes later, Daisy returned with their beers, "Here ya go fellas."

"Thanks Daisy," Bo said, picking up his beer and taking a sip.

"Bo, you know I ain't got a lot of work to do tommorrow so if you'd rather stay at the farm..."

"Oh...well Luke was gonna come to the garage and I think he's bringing Uncle Jesse," Bo reminded him.

"Yeah I know, that's kind of why I said something. I thought you might rather see Jesse out at the farm, you know for privacy."

"I hadn't thought of that, maybe I should do that. I sure don't want to run any customers off, if it doesn't go well."

"I didn't mean that Bo, heck I ain't even worried about that, I just want you to be as comfortable as possible."

"Thanks Cooter, but if it's okay with you I'd rather come to the garage."

"Then that's what we'll do," Cooter told him. "Hope you've had enough rest buddyro," Cooter said with a smile.

"Huh?"

"Looks like Becky May's ready for another round of dancing," Cooter replied, pointing with his beer at the approaching girl.

"Hey Bo, want to dance?"

"Sure Becky May," Bo answered.

Standing up, he gave Cooter a grin that reminded the mechanic of the old Bo. Watching his friend lead Becky May out to the dance floor, Cooter dared to hope that the younger man would soon be back to normal.

TBC

Okay, well there y'all go. I appreciate those who have been faithfully reviewing, but the muses are greedy. Please feed them with reviews.


	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: I don't own the Dukes of Hazzard, not making any money, just cheap thrills.

Warnings: Angst, OOC(Out Of Character), Language

Rating: FRT

Italics and/or indicates thoughts

Do The Right Thing

Chapter 16

Three a.m., Cooter rolled onto his back wondering what had woke him. Then he heard it; the sound of somebody moving through the house. With a small groan, he got up and headed to the kitchen. "Can't sleep?"

"Sorry, didn't mean to wake you up," Bo apologized when he saw Cooter standing in the doorway.

"You want to talk about it?" Cooter asked, pouring himself a glass of milk and joining Bo at the table.

"Just nervous about tommorrow I guess," Bo replied, with a small shrug.

"I thought you were feeling better."

"I am, I was anyway, until I had a nightmare," Bo said. "Uncle Jesse showed up at the garage, but he was acting more like he did at that warehouse. I know Cooter, you don't have to say it; he was drugged and brainwashed. I know all of that, even believe it sometimes, but then I have a nightmare and it's just like when I first woke up in the hospital. I'm starting to think this ain't never gonna be over, and that I'll never get my life back to the way it was before Delbert Penny kidnapped me."

"I wish I knew what to say to make you believe that things will get better," Cooter softly said.

"I appreciate that too, you don't know how much you're being here has meant to me Cooter. For the first time in my life I haven't felt like I could turn to my family, if it hadn't been..." Bo broke off, looking away as he tried to blink back the tears that once again threatened to fall. "If it hadn't been for you, I don't think I would've made it this far; thank you," Bo said, reaching for Cooter's hand and giving it a small squeeze.

"You're welcome Bo, I'm just glad I could help," Cooter told him, returning the gesture. "You think you'll be able to sleep now?"

"Yeah, I can try anyway," Bo answered. Standing up, he carried both their glasses to the sink and rinsed them out before heading back to bed.

"Bo, do me a favor would you? Go over there and sit down before you hurt yourself," Cooter kindly ordered after the screwdriver Bo was using slipped, again.

"Sor..."

"Don't say it Bo, ya ain't got anything to be sorry about. You're just too nervous to be working with tools right now, I ain't mad about it, but I don't want you to get hurt."

"Guess you've got a point there. I thought I was nervous yesterday, but now I know what nervous really is," Bo ruefully admitted. "There anything I can do to help, I don't mean with tools," Bo clarified when he saw the disbelieving look on Cooter's face. "I was thinking maybe you needed some parts picked up, or maybe a doughnut run."

"You know what, that's not a half bad idea buddyro. Why don't you go get us a dozen? Oh, and some coffee over at Rhuebottoms' I'm almost out."

"Okay, be back in a little while," Bo agreed, grateful to have something to do.

Ten minutes after Bo left, Cooter heard the General pulling up out front. Picking up a rag, he wiped the grease from his hands as he walked outside. "Hey Luke, Uncle Jesse," Cooter greeted the two men as they climbed out of their respective vehicles.

"Cooter, is Bo here?" Luke asked.

"Nah, he went to get coffee and doughnuts," Cooter replied. "Why don't y'all come on inside and keep me company while I'm working," he suggested.

"Sure," Luke agreed. As he started to follow the mechanic into the garage, he realized that Jesse was still standing next to the pumps. Hurrying back to the older man, Luke gently grasped his arm, "Uncle Jesse?"

"Huh? I'm fine," Jesse assured his nephew when he saw the worried look on his face.

"Okay. You gonna come inside?"

"Yeah, might as well," Jesse replied, moving towards the garage. For several minutes, he stood in the door, watching as Luke began to talk to Cooter while helping him with his work. Feeling nervous and awkward, Jesse finally took a step towards the younger men. "Uh Cooter, could I talk to ya for a minute?"

"Sure Uncle Jesse," Cooter answered, a smile spreading across his face.

"I just wanted to say that I appreciate all you've done for Bo. I know you didn't do it for me," Jesse said. "Still I feel like I ought to acknowledge what ya done, though thank you doesn't seem like nearly enough."

"You ain't got to thank me, y'all would've done the same for me if it was needed," Cooter replied. "But you're welcome. Now, could you hand me them pliers over there?" Cooter asked, pointing towards the far workbench and ending the awkward moment.

By the time he returned from his errand, Bo was whistling and there was a slight spring in his step; until he spotted the General parked outside Cooter's, Jesse's pick-up behind him. He had known that Jesse was coming today, heck it had been his idea; an idea he was beginning to reconsider, wondering if he was moving too fast. Shaking his head in an effort to rid himself of that thought, Bo steeled himself and walked into the garage.

"Hey Bo, I was about to think you'd got lost," Cooter greeted, moving to take the coffee so he could begin a fresh pot.

"Nah, just ran into Becky May," Bo explained. "Hey Luke, Uncle Jesse," he greeted the two men who were standing off to the side.

"Becky May huh? Daisy said you were dancing with her last night," Luke said. "You better be careful there cousin, you know how her ma is," he reminded him.

"You got a point there Luke, but I think I'll take my chances," Bo grinned. He was relieved at being able to talk to Luke like they always had.

"Bo? I'm so sorry son, I hope someday you can forgive me," Jesse apologized, though he found it difficult to speak past the lump in his throat.

Bo looked at his uncle. Still feeling unsure around Jesse, he didn't say anything. He knew that Luke and Cooter expected him to respond, but he couldn't find his voice. So he simply nodded in acknowledgement, before carrying the box of doughnuts over to the desk, where he sat them down.

Disappointed, but not surprised, Jesse turned away and went back to the workbench. _What did you think was gonna happen Jesse Duke? You didn't think he was just gonna say, sure Unlce Jesse, it's okay and can I come back home? Damn that Delbert Penny for what he's done and me for not being stronger. How could I let a few drugs and some twisted words from that man convince me to hurt my boy? What kind of man am I? _Jesse berated himself, angry at the look of fear he'd seen in Bo's eyes and furious at himself for causing it.

"He's trying Bo," Luke said, coming up beside his cousin and placing a supportive hand on his back.

"So am I!"

"Nobody said you weren't," Luke said in a soothing voice.

"Sorry, didn't mean to snap at ya," Bo apologized. "I just didn't know what to say Luke, I ain't ready to say I forgive him. I know, I know, he was drugged, but that doesn't change the fact that he hurt me. Luke he did things to me and said things that I never would've dreamed he could. Shoot, I'm not sure I could've imagined anybody saying or doing them things to someone they say they love. I guess that's the problem right there," Bo said.

"What do ya mean Bo?"

"I'm having a hard time believing he didn't mean the things that happened, cause if he really loves me then how could he do that?" Looking up at his cousin, Bo was shocked to see a look of understanding in Luke's eyes. "You're not mad?"

"Not at you," Luke assured him. "I'm not mad at Uncle Jesse either, but if Delbert Penny wasn't already dead I think I'd kill him."

Bo chuckled, the laugh quickly turning to a sob which he bit off before it began. "Cooter said something like that too. God, I wish y'all had found me sooner, found us," Bo corrected. Silently reminding himself that Jesse was a victim too, determined to convince himself of that truth. _ It has to be true, everybody keeps saying that Jesse was a victim. He was drugged and brainwashed, I have to remember that, have to believe that. I can't let them keep seeing my fear and doubts. I never should've said that about Uncle Jesse, now Luke and Cooter are gonna start getting mad cause I don't believe them. Dang it! When am I gonna make up my mind how I feel? I hate this! I have to do something about it, I have to make myself get past all this fear and anger. I'm going to do it too, no matter how hard it is, I'm gonna believe that Jesse was a victim, that he loves me, just like they all say he does. Maybe if I keep telling myself the stuff they've been telling me, I'll start believing it. _Bo was so lost in thought, he didn't even notice when Luke sadly moved away from his side. Shivering slightly as a sudden chill traveled down his spine, Bo looked around and realized that he was standing at the desk alone. Taking a deep breath, he forced his doubts, his fear, and his anger to a place deep within himself. Determined to get his life back, Bo walked over to where his uncle and cousin stood helping Cooter and started helping.

The rest of the morning was awkward, but as the day passed all of them began to relax somewhat. Bo again left the garage at lunch time, this time heading to the diner up the street. He noticed that when he left the garage he was even more relaxed, but he refused to think about it. Instead he forced himself to walk to the diner, smiling at those he met as though he didn't have a care in the world. At the diner, Bo picked up four of the blue plate specials, telling Mildred to put it on Cooter's tab. After lunch, Luke and Jesse returned to the farm and the chores that waited for them there.

Over the next week, the members of the Duke family spent as much time as possible at Cooter's garage. The more time that passed, the better Bo was becoming at acting normal, but he couldn't completely rid himself of his anger, fear, and doubts. Ten days after Jesse's first visit to the garage, it all came to a head.

Jesse had been feeling for a few days as though his family was finally healing. Wanting to have all of his kids at home where they belonged, he decided today would be a good day to bring it up. Walking over to where Bo stood looking out at the street, Jesse laid his hand on his nephew's back, taking him by surprise.

"Don't touch me!" Bo snapped, before Jesse could get a word out. Jerking violently away from his uncle, it took a few seconds for the look of shock and hurt on his uncle's face to register. Worse than that, were the looks of anger that Luke and Daisy also wore. "I'm sorry Uncle Jesse, you startle..."

"No, no I don't think that's it at all, is it Bo?" Jesse sadly interrupted. "I think that's the first time in the last ten days you've reacted with complete honesty. I can't believe I didn't see it before now, I should've realized this was all moving too easily. You've been holding back from us, haven't you?"

"I," Bo began. Looking around the garage at his family, he suddenly felt everything he'd been trying to hide coming to the surface.

"What is it sprout?"

"Don't call me that!" Bo yelled.

"Why not?" Jesse asked.

"Cause you gave me that name back when I still believed that you loved me," Bo replied.

"Bo, Uncle Jesse still loves you, he always has," Daisy softly said.

"How can I believe that? How can you say that? If he really loves me, then why didn't he fight harder against that drug? How could he let Penny brainwash him?" Bo demanded.

"How do you know he didn't fight it?" Daisy asked.

"I know he didn't, cause if he had I wouldn't be staying at Cooter's right now. I wouldn't wake up several times a week from nightmares."

"That doesn't mean he didn't fight the drug Bo. It only means he didn't win," Luke insisted, grabbing his cousin by the arms, refusing to let him turn away.

It was into this scene that Rosco walked a few minutes later. Trying to get their attention and failing, he finally resorted to firing his gun into the ceiling.

"Rosco! This ain't the Boar's Nest!" Cooter yelled, looking up at the hole in his roof.

"Sorry Cooter, but I had to get their attention somehow," Rosco explained. "Now I heard what y'all was saying and I got something I think you need to see," Rosco said. Walking over to Bo, he held out a book the size of a ledger to the younger man.

"What's this?" Bo asked, taking the book from the sheriff.

"It's Delbert Penny's journal," Rosco replied.

Bo let go of the book as though it had burned him and took a step back from it. "Why would you give me that?"

"Because I think you need to read it. Bo, I ain't trying to hurt you none, but I heard you asking why Jesse didn't fight the drug harder, the answer is in that book. I wish I could've gotten it to you sooner, but the State Police just finished their investigation into Penny's death and released it out of evidence. I hope you'll read it Bo, I think it'll help you to find the answers you need," Rosco told Bo, surprising them all with his kindness.

"Thank you Rosco," Luke said, picking up the journal from the floor.

"Yeah, thanks Rosco," Bo finally responded, shaking off his surprise enough to remember his manners.

"You're welcome," Rosco replied. Tipping his hat to them, he left the garage as quietly as he had entered.

"Bo," Jesse spoke from behind him. "I think it'd be best if we all left, it'll give you a chance to read that journal. I want you to know that I'm not mad," he said, wanting to reassure his nephew. "I just think we could all use a break. You call us when you're ready to talk again, okay?"

Watching as his family left the garage, Bo didn't realize that he was gripping Delbert's journal tightly, until he felt Cooter prying his fingers from it. "Cooter?"

"You're making my hands hurt just watching ya," Cooter explained, nodding at the journal.

Looking down, Bo was surprised to see the journal in his hands. "So, what do you want me to do?" Bo asked, laying the journal on the desk.

"Nothing," Cooter replied. "Well that's not true exactly, I want you to go upstairs and either read that journal or lay down for a while."

"You sure, I can..."

"No, you need to get yourself calmed down before you go trying to use tools. Remember what I said the other day about not wanting you to hurt yourself, that still stands."

"Alright Cooter, if you're sure," Bo said. Picking up the journal, he slowly climbed the ladder and went to sit on the bed. Turning the book over in his hands, he examined it carefully, wondering how such a plain looking thing could hold such power over his life. Opening the book, he began to read:

_I can't believe how easy it's been to spy on Jesse Duke. Why back when we were all running shine, he would've known the second somebody stepped foot on his property. Guess without the need to hide his stills, he's gotten lax, good thing for me. Too bad Jeremy's dead, it don't hardly seem fair to make the boy pay for his daddy's sins. Then again, the good book does say the sins of the father shall be visited upon the son, so I suppose it's only fitting._

_I found a warehouse today up on Wilson road, it'll be perfect for what I've got planned. Now I'll just have to find a two-way mirror somewhere and get it installed. I'll make sure that they pay for breaking the code and sending me to prison. They had no right doing that to me!_

_Well it took a couple of weeks, but I finally did it. I found a two-way mirror in Atlanta and the boys that sold it to me will deliver and install it, no questions asked. I've also been researching drugs that would work for my plans and I think I've got the perfect one. It's called Ketamine, it's usually used on animals which means I can get it in any vet's office. I don't want anybody around here to get suspicious though, so I'll have to go up to Sweetwater county and steal me some. According to the books I found this stuff will give Jesse hallucinations, nightmares and make him real easy to brainwash. By the time I'm done with him, he'll be doing whatever I say. I just have to figure out some way to make sure he can always hear my voice, after all I don't want Bo to see me once his uncle is there._

_Finally everything is in place, I've got a receiver that will fit in Jesse's ear, got the two-way mirror installed, and most importantly I've found the drug. Now I'll just have to wait until Bo is alone to put my plan into action._

_I can't believe it's been so long, I been watching them for months now and I swear that boy ain't never alone. Everytime he leaves the house, that cousin of his goes with him, except for them few times he goes on a date alone. Well if prison taught me one thing, it's how to be patient._

_I give up, I'm just going to have to grab the boy when he's with his cousin. I found a source for some tranqulizer darts and once I knock the older one out, I'll take Bo._

_It worked perfectly, better than I could've expected in fact. Grabbing the boy when he's skinny dipping, bringing him here naked which I know is making him nervous. I just wish I could be there when they find his clothes and start thinking he's in the water. Damn I hate to miss that, oh well it can't be helped._

_I can't believe how satisfying this is, standing here listening to Bo screaming and begging for me to come back. I ain't never gonna forget the look in his eyes when he thought I was going to rape him. I could've too, thought about it even. It's not like it's the first time I ever done a man, but this is even better. He's actually begging me to do him, willing to make any sacrifice if it'll protect his cousin. I sure am looking forward to seeing how he reacts when I tell him I raped her and it's his fault. Well time to get this show on the road._

_It was priceless, the look on Bo's face when he thought I'd raped his innocent cousin. I played it up too, told him how much she fought me and how good it was. I even told him she was a virgin, I don't know if she is but with a body like that I doubt it. He tried to believe I was lying, but I didn't give him the chance, just kept at him until he believed it. Soon he'll be ready for the next phase of my plan, just a little bit longer and he'll be reunited with his beloved uncle._

_Well I guess Jesse won't be so beloved after this. It's been three days since I brought him here, Bo doesn't even try to argue anymore. The boy just lays there and takes whatever punishment his uncle dishes out, convinced that he deserves every bit of what is happening to him. Jesse resisted the drug of course, but it wasn't any use, it's just too powerful. There ain't a man alive that can fight that stuff once it takes hold, and it don't take long for it to do just that. I wonder how long it'll take for the memories to return to Jesse? I wonder if he'll have the strength to carry on, or will he use that shotgun he's so fond of to blow his own head off? I think a couple more days ought to do it, then I'll let Luke Duke know where to find them, anonymously of course. _

_It's been nearly a week since I took Bo, time to end this part of the plan. Sure am glad I took all those pictures, it'll give me something to keep me going while I wait for the next step. I think I'll wait about a month, yeah by then the boy may be starting to forgive his uncle and then it'll be time to make my next move. By the time I'm done with them, Bo will be dead or insane and Jesse will be locked in a cell for the things he's done to his own nephew. Everybody in Hazzard will turn their backs on him, starting with his own family._

Bo dropped the book, stunned by what he'd read and that was only a few entries. What was he going to find if he could get himself to read more?

"Bo, you okay?" Cooter called from below.

"I'm fine Cooter, just dropped something," Bo called back, not ready to talk about what he'd read. With shaking hands, he reached to the floor and retrieved the journal. Nervously he opened it up and began to read...

TBC

Okay, I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that the next chapter will be the last one. However, don't hold me to that, the muses do like to fool me. ;) Please remember to feed the muses with reviews, they're getting hungry again.


	17. Chapter 17

Disclaimer: I don't own the Dukes of Hazzard, not making any money, just cheap thrills.

Warnings: Angst

A/N: I'd like to thank HazzardHusker for her invaluable help in beta reading this story. I couldn't have done it without her.

Rating: FRT

Italics and/or indicates thoughts

Do The Right Thing

Chapter 17

Cooter found Bo sitting down by the creek, skimming stones across the water. "Hey Bo," he greeted his friend.

"Hey Cooter," Bo replied, as he continued to skim stones.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, just thinking."

"You want to talk about it?" Cooter asked after several minutes of silence.

"I read Delbert's journal last night," Bo replied.

"Did it help?"

"Not exactly," Bo replied with a tired chuckle.

"What do ya mean?"

"Well now I know that Uncle Jesse fought the drugs. Delbert wrote it all down, how hard he tried to fight but the drugs were too strong. He described the way Uncle Jesse reacted in between doses when he'd see me and the things he'd done to me. The stuff he did to Uncle Jesse was horrible, it was as bad as what was done to me, just not physical. He had this receiver that was in Jesse's ear the whole time, so Delbert could talk to him all the time. He'd tell him what to do, what to say to me and when to come back to that other room. Then while Uncle Jesse was sleeping, he would keep telling him things so he could make sure he had nightmares. From what he said in the journal it made it easier to brainwash him."

"I don't understand Bo, shouldn't that make it easier for you to forgive him?"

"Yeah," Bo agreed. "But now I feel terrible for blaming him, and for not completely believing Luke."

"You thought he was lying about Jesse being drugged?"

"I know Luke wouldn't ever lie about something like that, it was just so hard to believe. It sounded like something out of one of those bad tv movies and I wondered if maybe..."

"If maybe?" Cooter prompted.

"Maybe Luke was so desperate to have our family back to normal that he was fooling himself into believing it."

"Aw Bo," Cooter began, only to be interrupted.

"You don't have to say it Cooter. How could I think like that?" Bo asked. He felt like crying and was desperately trying to hold it in.

"That's not what I was going to say," Cooter answered. "I was going to say that I could understand you having doubts and I don't think you should feel bad about it."

"You do? You don't?" Bo asked, looking at his friend in surprise.

"Bo, after everything you've been through in the last few weeks I'd be surprised if you didn't doubt anything you were told. Especially if it had to do with what happened in that warehouse," Cooter said. Stepping closer, he wrapped a supportive arm around Bo's shoulders. Even though he had heard the thickness of Bo's voice, he was still taken by surprise when the younger man collapsed against him, sobs wracking his body. He wasn't sure what to do, holding a crying friend wasn't exactly something he was used to, but instinctively he tightened his hold on the other man. As Bo sobbed out his fear and anger, Cooter began to slowly sway, softly humming a soothing melody as he waited out the storm.

Bo wasn't sure how long he had been crying when he became aware of Cooter's arms wrapped around him and realized that the mechanic was rocking him and softly humming. More embarassed than he had ever been in his life, Bo pulled away from Cooter's embrace. "Sorry," he mumbled, face flushing with shame.

"No problem," Cooter replied, equally embarassed, but wanting to help. "You feel better now?"

"N...actually you know I do feel a little better," Bo admitted, now that the initial embarassment had faded. "Guess I needed that."

"I guess you did," Cooter agreed. "So now what?" When Bo looked at him in confusion, Cooter hurried to explain. "I mean, are you ready to go back home or do you still need some time?"

"Oh," Bo said, suddenly realizing that Cooter was probably ready to have his house back to himself. "Sure I can go home now if..."

"Dang it Bo! I didn't mean that I wanted you to leave, I just was wondering what you were going to do. I've told you before buddyro, you're welcome here as long as you need."

"You sure?"

"I'm sure, now I came down here to see if you were ready for breakfast," Cooter said.

"I'm not really hungry right now Cooter, thanks."

"Okay, well then I guess I'll go get myself something. You gonna go into town with me?"

"Would it be okay if I stay here?"

"That's fine Bo, you know that," Cooter answered. "I'll see you later then, and if you need anything you just call me, okay?"

"I will."

"Do you want me to send Luke and them out here?"

"No, I'm gonna call them and tell them that I need a couple of days," Bo replied. Turning away from the creek, he walked back to the house with Cooter. As soon as he walked inside he excused himself to make his phone call.

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Luke was disappointed when Bo called, but he wasn't really surprised. Hanging up the phone, he ran a hand through his hair in frustration. Walking outside, he went in search of his uncle; Luke found him in the barn milking the goat. "Uncle Jesse?"

"What's wrong? Is Bo okay?" Jesse anxiously asked when he saw the look on Luke's face.

"Nothing's wrong, well not exactly. Bo called, he's not gonna be at the garage today and he doesn't want to see us for a couple of days."

"So that journal didn't help any?"

"I ain't so sure about that, he just said he needs a couple of days," Luke explained.

"How did he sound?"

"Tired," Luke replied. "He sounded like he doesn't know what to think right now. The impression I got was that he's trying to figure out what he feels and then he'll be ready to talk to us again."

"I hope you're right," Jesse said. With a heavy sigh, he turned away from his nephew and sadly went back to milking the goat.

"Me too," Luke whispered, watching and hating the defeated slump of his uncle's shoulders. Reluctantly, he left the milking area and went to finish his own chores.

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_How could I believe that Uncle Jesse would say those things of his own free will? I was mad at him for not fighting the drugs and I never even thought about what kind of person I am. If I really loved him, wouldn't I have realized that he would never do those things if he could help it? Stop it! You're doing what Delbert Penny wanted, whether you're mad at Uncle Jesse or yourself it will keep your family apart. _Bo reminded himself as he sat alone, trying to figure out how he felt. A part of him wanted to race home, and beg his uncle's fogiveness for ever doubting him, but part of him was still afraid. Even knowing that it had been the drugs and the brainwashing that caused it, he couldn't stop being scared. Bo hugged himself tightly, wishing that he could just go back to the way things used to be.

_"You can't do that though son," a voice spoke from behind him._

_"Daddy?"_

_"It's me son and no you're not dreaming or going crazy," Jeremy assured him._

_"How? Why?"_

_"You needed me," Bo's father simply explained. "I wish I could take away all of your pain, that I could make it all normal again. I can't though and neither can you, no matter how much either one of us might wish it."_

_"So Delbert Penny succeeded in destroying us?"_

_"Only if you let him," Jeremy replied. "I said you can't put things back to the way they were, I didn't say that you couldn't heal. The whole family can heal, but it's up to you to take the first step, because they can't. Jesse wants nothing more than to make things right with you son, but he won't make the first move because he's afraid of hurting you more."_

_"What do I do?"_

_"Forgive him and forgive yourself."_

_"Myself?"_

_"You've been blaming yourself for doubting Jesse's love, haven't you?"_

_"Yeah," Bo softly confirmed._

_"How could you not doubt? Bo, until you read that journal you really didn't know if all of the things that were done to you were Penny's doing. For all you knew, at least some of that was coming from inside Jesse's heart, and you wondered if maybe he did blame you for things like Martha's death. That was natural son, anybody would've had doubts in those circumstances. Now you know the truth though and that will allow you to forgive Jesse, but that won't do any good if you start hating yourself."_

_"Daddy, do you hate me?"_

_"No! I could never hate you Bo, I love you more than anything else in the world."_

_"But if it hadn't been for me, you and mama would be alive."_

_"It wasn't your fault Bo, it was just our time," Jeremy said. Stepping forward, he wrapped his arms around his son, humming an old lullaby in an effort to comfort._

_"What about the way I've been acting? I've been so..."_

_"Bo, we've been watching you from the time we passed and there aren't two parents anywhere that could be any prouder. You've grown into a fine young man. As for the way you've been acting, you have nothing to be ashamed of, please belive me." Jeremy pulled back slightly, a sad smile crossing his face, " I wish I could stay longer Bo, but my time is almost up."_

_"Will I ever see you again?"_

_"Hopefully not for a long time to come. Just remember your mother and I love you, and you could never do anything that would make us ashamed of you or stop our love." Jeremy smiled as he stepped away from his son and slowly faded from sight._

Bo woke up, "A dream, it was just a dream," he sadly mumbled. As he sat up he got a whiff of Old Spice, but as he looked around the room he couldn't find anything to explain the scent. "Maybe it wasn't a dream," he said, a wistful smile on his face.

"Cooter, what time is it?" Bo asked, when he left the bedroom and saw his friend on the couch.

"It's about four o'clock, why?"

"I didn't realize it was that late is all."

"You feel better?"

"Yeah, um Cooter, what kind of cologne do you wear?"

"I don't wear cologne Bo, why do you ask?"

"Maybe it was real," Bo softly spoke, seemingly not hearing Cooter's question.

"Maybe what was real?"

"I thought it was a dream but then I smelled his cologne..."

"Who? Did something happen while I was gone?" Cooter asked, starting to get concerned.

"My dad," Bo replied. "He came to me Cooter, told me that I shouldn't feel guilty for doubting Uncle Jesse's love."

"Well of course you shouldn't, I would've been real surprised if you hadn't doubted it."

"Thanks Cooter," Bo said. "I know it's going to take time and things will never be the same, but I think maybe I'm ready to go home for real."

"That's great Bo! You want me to take you home tonight?"

"In a hurry to get rid of me," Bo teased, feeling lighthearted after his dad's visit.

"No!" Cooter practically yelled as he jumped to his feet. "You can stay as long as you need to and if you ever need to come back you're welcome to."

"I know that Cooter, and I appreciate it. I was just teasing, didn't mean to make you mad," Bo contritely apologized.

"It's okay Bo, ain't your fault I didn't realize you were teasing," Cooter said. He wrapped one strong hand around the back of Bo's neck and gave him a light squeeze, letting him know they were fine.

"Okay, I think maybe it'd be better if I went home tommorrow though. I want to take some time to think it through, I don't want to put them through me changing my mind if I'm not ready."

"Sounds like a good idea," Cooter agreed. "So what would you like for supper?"

"Burgers?"

"Burgers it is," Cooter said with a smile. Walking to the kitchen he checked to see that he had everything he would need. Seeing that he wouldn't need to make a trip to the store, he pulled out the meat and vegetables.

"Anything I can do to help?"

"Sure, why don't you slice some tomatoes and onions while I'm cooking," Cooter suggested.

"Got it," Bo replied, pulling a sharp knife from the drawer and beginning his task.

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Jesse was just bowing his head over the breakfast table, preparing to ask the blessing, when he heard the sound of an engine.

"It's Cooter, and I think Bo's with him," Luke said as he looked out the window. Letting the curtain fall back into place, he hurried to the back door and pulled it open. Rushing outside, he grinned when he saw that Bo was in fact riding shotgun beside Cooter.

"Hey Luke," Bo greeted as he climbed from the cab of the tow truck.

"Bo, you home for good?" Luke asked hopefully, when he saw the bag Bo carried.

"I think so," Bo replied. "Uncle Jesse, Daisy," he greeted as he came around the front of the truck.

"Bo, you're home!" Daisy cried out. Rushing forward, she wrapped her arms around her younger cousin, not missing the way he trembled under her touch.

"Yeah," Bo said with a small smile.

"You sure you're ready? I don't want you pushing yourself," Jesse said.

"I ain't Uncle Jesse. I know it won't be easy but I want my family back, I want my life back."

"Then welcome home sprout." Jesse held out his hand, wishing that he dared to draw the younger man into his embrace but afraid of the reaction he would receive.

Taking the offered hand, Bo shook it warmly, grateful that his uncle was taking it slow.

"Have you had breakfast yet?"

"No sir."

"Well then you're just in time," Jesse said with a smile. Stepping to one side so that he could see the truck, he called to the mechanic. "Cooter why don't you come on in and join us for breakfast?"

"That sounds real good Uncle Jesse," Cooter replied as he stepped out of the truck.

"Well then let's go eat," Jesse said. Turning away, he led the way into the house, glad he hadn't already asked the blessing. Waiting at the head of the table for the kids to take their seats, Jesse smiled at the sight of his youngest once more in the seat where he belonged. Bowing his head, he began; "Lord we ask you to bless the food before us and we thank you for your many gifts. Father on this fine morning I want to especially thank you for bringing Bo home to us and for giving him such a good friend to take care of him while we couldn't. I know there's still a ways to go Lord, but I'm grateful for the chance to prove to Bo how much we all love him. Thank you, in Jesus' name we pray. Amen."

For the first time in weeks, breakfast was a lively affair, if somewhat awkward at first. By the time the meal was over, the four young people were laughing and joking as they always had. As Jesse watched them, his eyes glistened with tears of joy.

"Uncle Jesse, you okay?" Bo asked. He had been enjoying his first morning back home when he looked up and saw his uncle watching them, an odd look on his face.

"I'm fine," Jesse answered, gruffly clearing his throat and swallowing back the tears. "I was just watching y'all and thinking how glad I am that you're home."

"I'm glad to be home."

"Yeah, I'm glad you're home too Bo. I'm getting a little tired of doing your chores along with mine," Luke teased, hoping to lighten the suddenly somber mood.

"Oh, well you know I'm still not exactly back to full strength," Bo teased in return.

"Now don't you let him fool ya none Luke," Cooter said, getting in on the teasing. "He was just telling me this morning how much he missed all his morning chores."

"Cooter!" Bo laughingly cried out.

"Speaking of chores, I've got to go pull some stumps and times a wasting," Jesse said. Standing up from the table, he moved to the back door, knowing that the only way they could recover was to act normally. "Luke, I want you boys to patch that hole in the barn roof and chop some wood, then you're free to do as ya like."

"Alright Uncle Jesse," Luke replied.

"Guess I better get going then," Cooter said. Rising to his feet, he headed outside.

"Cooter!" Bo called, coming out of the door behind him. "I wanted to thank you for everything you've done for me...for us," he said, shuffling his feet self-consciously.

"I'm just glad I could."

"I don't know how I'll ever pay you back..."

"How about you just invite me to breakfast every once in a while, I've kind of gotten used to having company."

"You got it," Bo agreed with a grin.

After Cooter left, Bo and Luke went to the barn and got the tools they would need to patch the barn roof. Climbing up onto the top of the large structure, the two young men were soon lost in their chore. As they worked, they joked back and forth, both of them grateful to be working side by side again. By noon they had finished both of the chores Uncle Jesse had left for them and were ready to go have some fun.

It wasn't easy, and even months later, Bo would sometimes catch himself flinching if Jesse raised his voice. He wondered if that would be something he would carry with him forever, like a scar on his soul. Bo hoped not, knowing that everytime it happened it hurt his uncle, reminding him of all the things he'd done in that warehouse. At least life at the Duke farm had mostly returned to normal, though Cooter seemed to hang out a little more than he used to. Which was another change, lately Uncle Jesse didn't correct Cooter when he called him uncle. When Bo had asked him about it, knowing that Cooter was getting uncomfortable about the change, Jesse had explained. He said that after all Cooter had done for Bo and in a way for all of them, he didn't feel right about correcting him anymore. The older man said that Cooter had earned the right to call him anything he wanted to. Bo had been surprised at the tears in his friend's eyes when he passed that explanation on to him. Once he understood why Uncle Jesse wasn't correcting him, Cooter couldn't help being touched by the gesture. Sitting on the back porch, watching the sunset, Bo thought over the last several months with a smile. Looking up at the beautiful colors, he silently thanked God for giving them all the strength to heal. He was grateful that Delbert Penny's plan hadn't worked, though it had looked like it would succeed for a while.

"What are you thinking about so hard sprout?" Jesse asked, coming to sit beside him and calling him by the old nickname.

"Just thinking about how glad I am that his plan didn't work," Bo replied, not needing to say who's plan. "For awhile I didn't think I'd ever have this again and I'm just so grateful to have my family back that I had to thank God for all his help."

"I'm glad too Bo," Jesse agreed, shuddering at the memories of the hell Penny had put them through. Wrapping one arm around Bo's shoulders, he pulled the younger man to him, once again grateful that Bo no longer flinched at his touch. "So, you ready for some of that peach pie Daisy made?"

"Yes sir," Bo enthusiasticly replied. Standing up, he reached out to pull his uncle to his feet. Draping one arm casually across the older man's shoulders, Bo led the way inside, a grin spreading across his face.

The End

Alright, the limb didn't break off and this was the last chapter. Please feed the muses and let them know what you think. Thank you again for all of the wonderful reviews.


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